Drowning
by azokka361
Summary: Ayaka is a waterbender who hates water. Born in the Fire Nation, she was a daughter of a lord, friends with the princess, doted on by the court. Now, with the war heightening, she is called away from her home to the South Pole. From here, she is forced to embark on a journey that will change her life forever.
1. Prologue

**_Note: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, and furthermore will not own it at any time during this story._**

_Run. Run fast, run far, or be consumed._

I didn't know where I was. The city I knew so well was foreign in the night, especially a dark, stormy night like this one. Friendly merchants and the honored guards of the capital had been replaced with dark shapes and drunken laughter. I didn't know what was worse-the hooded figures who prowled alleyways or bands of raucous people coming from or going to the city's disreputable establishments.

How strange it was that a sunset could so change the place that had been my home for fifteen years. I drew my cloak closer around myself, in an effort to both keep the rain and cold at bay, and hide my fine, silken robes. Why had I not changed before fleeing? It simply hadn't occurred to me. It had all seemed like a fairy-tale back in the palace, a tale in which runaways dressed as princesses and the streets were paved with gold, not strangers.

Why didn't I just turn around and go home? Many times I was tempted during the long hours, and once even took a few steps in the opposite directions, but in each instance the persistent voice probed my consciousness once more. _No. Run. No. Run. No. Run._ It did not take long for me to give in, especially since there was a quiet, nagging feeling in the back of my mind telling me to follow the voice's instructions. Perhaps the voice itself was the feeling, or the feeling was a partner of the voice, but whatever the cause or context I trudged on through the puddles lining the roads. Rain pounded down relentlessly, water trickling down my skin.

My family was supposed to love water, but I abhorred it. The way it dragged down my clothes and hair. the chill that refused to subside, or-in hot weather-how damp and unclean it made me feel. I hated the sound of water tapping on the stone road. I hated the nonexistent smell of water, and the unflavored taste.

I imagined myself running back up the hill, climbing into my window, slipping out of my drenched robes and into a clean nightdress, then crawling beneath the blankets of my bed. The palace was kept at a high, constant temperature by the many heaters that lined the halls, kept working by the firebenders who spent the night roaming the palace and checking on each and every fire. I loved the heat. There was a spicy scent to the blankets that reminded me of my father, and when reminded of my father I was at home.

_No wonder Mum came here_, I thought, but the musing was cut short by the sound of heavy footsteps on the road. I flattened myself against the wall of a small bakery and held my breath, forcing myself not to look at the road. A guard in red armor, helmetless, patrolled the road. Raindrops made little tapping noises on his armor. The lantern in his hand cast a red glow on the world, barely missing my little corner of darkness. The light receded as the guard continued his lonely walk, and I crept closer and closer to the wall that surrounded the city.

The entire capital may have shifted with the moon's rise, but the wall, at least, I knew well enough. Many were the times my friends and I had crawled through this little crack in the volcano's barrier, so small that only children could manage to squeeze through. The friends themselves were many-sometimes it was the other children of nobles, or the children of servants, or even the princess herself, and Mai and Ty Lee. It had been several years since the last adventure into the barren lands beyond the city, and the leaves and bushes surrounding the wall, once so exciting in their very presence, were now a hindrance. They caught on my wet robes and scratched my wet skin.

Finally, I struggled out of the vegetation and onto the rocky, black land. Far, far below in the water, tiny pools of light signaled the presence of a boat. I knew it was for me-but how, and why, I could not say. It was impossible to think with the rain still pouring down, so that it was almost difficult to breathe.

I, Ayaka, was drowning.


	2. Chapter 1 - Icy Water

It's cold. Too cold. I hate the cold.

Even bundled up in furs, so padded that I can barely see, the chill slipped under my skin and wrapped itself around my heart. At least the boat seems to move on its own, which is good, because I have neither the talent nor inclination to learn how to drive it. Do you "drive" a boat? I know how to drive ostrich-horses before a carriage, but even here, barely on the outskirts of the South Pole, there is no ground. Only ice. And it's impossible to drive a carriage on ice.

_I love carriages, too. Especially the very fancy ones, with golden trim and elaborate decoration. Azula has the loveliest carriage, a bold red with golden metal twisted into the shape of a dragon on each side. Her brother's wasn't nearly so nice, but then he was banished ages ago. I only really notice his absence because Mother is a lady-in-waiting for Lady Ursa, and Zuko was always hanging around her. Azula, I met because I was friends with Ty Lee and Mai. The royal family has always been . . . strange. Uncle Iroh (he isn't my uncle, of course, but all the children call him that) was the nicest, and he left when Zuko did. Lady Ursa was very kind, but she disappeared too. The reigning ruler, Fire Lord Ozai, is one of the mightiest Fire Lords in Fire Nation history, and has devoted his life to spreading our nation's culture and wealth throughout the world. Perhaps that's why I was ordered to come to this frozen hell-to help further my nation's influence? Of course, there's not much here to conquer._

Freezing water sloshing over the rim of the boat onto my shoes, soaking through the fur immediately, startled me out of my daydream. For just a moment, I had been back in the wonderful autumn heat of home. Here, my boots were soggy, and my three sets of socks completely drenched. Every step _squished_.

I squished my way up to the front of the boat, where I leaned over the side to get a better view. The water was everywhere, and it was all so blue. The color was unsettling. At home, everything is red, rich and regal, but here . . . it seems so clear, as if you're staring straight down to the bottom of the ocean. The thought gave me a little shiver._ The ocean terrifies me. It's enormous, unfathomable, dangerous. Fall into it, and you will drown forever, falling and falling and falling. Fish disturb me. They're monstrous._ But at the same time, I feel so drawn to it.

There are enormous mountains of ice, and the sun gleams off of them in a way that sends a shiver up my spine. The sheen is otherworldly, eerie. I shook my head, straightening out my thoughts-what was I thinking? Oh, yes. The sun is strange and bright, and the reflection on the ice hurts my eyes.

As the ship wove its way through the icebergs, I noticed a light coating of black snow over-just about everything. The flecks floated in the water. I wrinkled my nose. _Not even the snow is clean_. Shuddering in disgust, and the exceedingly low temperature, I stomped across the deck into the cabin and curled up in the blankets.

The next morning, I woke to the sound of shrill screeching and a terrifying crack. Moments later, I was thrown off the cot and across the cabin, smashing into the opposite wall. Groaning, my head aching, I staggered to my feet, only to fall in the other direction as the boat tipped again. The door had shaken itself free and swung open, so I crawled through it, blinking at the sudden sunlight.

I stood unsteadily on the deck, trying to connect my mind with reality. It looked like the boat was leaning on the iceberg-no, not leaning-it was-it was-

A wall of water crashed into the side of the boat, dislodging it from the ice. It also crashed into me, and, dazed, I fell towards the edge, holding on to one of the many loose ropes for dear life. A second wave slammed into the boat, knocking me over the side into the icy water.

The entire ocean seemed to rush to fill my nose and mouth, and I almost retched from the nauseating taste. My eyes stung with salt, and I kicked frantically towards the surface. My head broke the surface for a moment, and I sucked in a breath, then the water dragged me back under. I forced myself to keep my eyes open, despite the pain, and so could see an enormous, dark shape descending into the water. It took me a moment to realize it was my boat.

Something hard hit me on the head, and my heavy furs proved thoroughly unhelpful underwater.

"I think she's alive."

"Well, stop thinking about it and check for a pulse!" an aged, female voice scolded. I felt a small hand gingerly touch my neck. "Now is it there?"

"Yes, ma'am." Moments later, a fist came down on my chest.

I gasped, feeling water rush up, and started coughing. The little voice cried out, "Gran-Gran, I don't think you're supposed to do that!"

"Stop complaining and help me pull her up!" A hand on each side propped me up as salt water streamed out of my mouth. It didn't taste nearly as good coming back up. After several minutes of gagging, the supply of water seemed to end, and I suddenly became conscious of the fact that I was freezing. My eyes snapped open.

An old woman, white-haired and dark-skinned, crouched beside me. She and the curious little girl beside her wore blue cloth dresses with thick white fur trim, and obviously several layers beneath. The little girl, whose inquisitive grey eyes and shy smile gave a mischievous appearance, was practically in awe. "Welcome to the Southern Water Tribe! I'm Etsuko."

"Child, hurry to the village and bring blankets. Tell them to find a few of Katara's old things." Etsuko nodded eagerly and raced off into the snow, her furry boots kicking up white and black fluff. The old woman sighed, but couldn't help but smile. Looking down at me, she became serious. "I am Kanna, but you can call me Gran-Gran. Who are you?"

**For those curious, this story is meant to begin about a week after Katara and Sokka leave the South Pole. Please leave reviews! (*Hint: It'll motivate me to post faster*)**


	3. Chapter 2 - Surprises

**Note: I probably should have mentioned that I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender in any way. Also, this storyline will not necessarily match up with the actual timeline of the show, simply for storytelling purposes.**

**Thanks, WarriorServent, for being the first (hopefully not last) review! In response to your questions-well, you'll find out at some point!**

The clothes they gave me fit almost perfectly, though the boots are a little big. I wear several layers of long-sleeved shirts and leggings beneath the dress, yet somehow the clothing is both breathable and warm. Thick, furry mittens cover my hands, so my face is the only thing left tingling in the cold.

Looking into the crude mirror in the tent, I straightened my dress one last time and tugged down on the hood. Lifting my hands to my hair, I slowly undid my top-knot and let my hair fall loose around my face. Then, recalling how my mother had worn her hair when not in court, I pulled my thick brown hair to one side and wove it into a simple braid, the tip of which fell halfway to the waist of my dress. Again, I turned towards the mirror, but this time I saw a girl who looked like me, yet was not me. Her eyes were more blue than grey, her skin a lighter brown, and somehow the blue dress hugs her body just right. Her side braid shows off the shape of her face. I've never seen her before, yet somehow she looks familiar-suddenly, I realize that I'm seeing a younger version of my mother, with Father's smile.

At last, I crawled through the opening of the tent and gazed at the village. Village was putting it generously, really. There were a dozen small tents, a larger igloo structure, and a crude snow wall surrounding the little community. Four or five small fire pits were strategically placed, the flame providing welcome warmth, and a large, unfinished one was placed in the very center. Although the village was surrounded by snowy ground, an enormous crack ran through the village wall, and several hundred feet through the ground until it reached the water. Beside the crack was a halfway-built snow tower. Several children piled more snow onto it as I watched.

Now that I thought about it, everything looked as if it had been dislodged. Smaller cracks dotted the ground, two more children worked to rebuild the largest fire pit, yet another three little boys sat on the wall and stared out at the water, as if on lookout, and the very air was tense and guarded. A group of women stood together in a tight circle, talking in hushed voices. One of them turned around and saw me; immediately, they all fell silent. The oldest one, Kanna, beckoned me.

"I see that you've changed." She paused a moment for me to nod. "This is Tomiko, Honoka, and Sachiko. I believe you have met Sachiko's daughter, Etsuko?" Another nod. Tomiko glared at me, Honoka looked thoughtful, and Sachiko, obviously the youngest, smiled. Kanna, the oldest, seemed friendly enough but was unreadable. "Now, child, who are you?"

"My name is Ayaka," I responded. "My mother, Chinatsu, was from the Southern Water Tribe."

"_Ayaka_?" Tomiko interrupted. "That isn't a Water Tribe name. And the clothes you wore weren't Water Tribe, either!"

"Why don't you three go help some more with the rebuilding?" Kanna interjected soothingly before I could retort. "Ayaka, you and I will take a walk." The other women dispersed, and I followed Kanna through the small opening in the wall and into the land beyond the village. Before long, the tiny village disappeared behind us, and all I could see was clear white-here, no black snow dusted the white-hills that seemed to stretch on forever, the brilliant blue water always at our right. Mountains of ice towered in the distance, along with large pieces of broken ice that floated in the ocean. It was difficult, at first, to see any animals, but then I caught a movement here, a flash of fur there, and I soon realized that there was life all around us. It was very cold, yes, but no snow fell, which meant that nothing obscured the sky, which seemed to reflect the ocean, rather than the other way around. For some reason, instead of being disgusted at the bleakness, I was filled with a strange mixture of joy and excitement and peace-as if I wanted to run through the snow, race a canoe through the huge chunks of ice-

"Where are you from, child?" Kanna finally said, breaking the silence. "I'd think it was the Northern Water Tribe, but as Tomiko said, your clothes aren't Water Tribe. They were made by someone who didn't know how to protect against the cold. Ayaka doesn't sound like an Earth Kingdom name, and I can already tell that you don't have the temperament of an earthbender. There's only one air-that is, the Air Nomads are extinct. So who are you?"

I considered lying, but then held my head high and answered, proudly, "I am a Fire Nation citizen, daughter of Lord Seiji and Lady Chinatsu of the Fire Nation court."

I'd expected awe, surprise, but instead her reaction was one of alarm. Her voice grew as cold as the ice surrounding us. "You need to leave this village. Leave now, before the others find out."

"Why?" I asked in surprise. Of course I _wanted_ to go home, but-

"They will hate you, and fear you, and for a good reason," she explained icily. "Everyone in the world is being terrorized by the Fire Nation, ever since I was a young girl. When I was fifteen, they started taking all of our waterbender, carrying them off in chains. None have ever returned."

"What-no!" I gasped. I was growing angrier at these lies by the second. "My nation is honorable! No Fire Lord would ever do such a thing! Besides, my mother was from here, and she never said anything about this!"

"The name Chinatsu sounds familiar, but I can't place it at the moment. But it doesn't matter right now." Kanna had stopped walking; now, she looked at me piercingly. "I know who you are, and where you are from, but why are you here?"

"I-" I faltered, scuffing the tip of my boot in the snow. "There was a voice. And a boat. It brought me here-I don't know why! Then the boat crashed into an iceberg, and I fell overboard. The next thing I knew, I was waking up to you and Etsuko."

"Ayaka, you were not found anywhere near an iceberg, or boat. Etsuko saw someone lying near the water, and she brought me from the village. You couldn't have washed up on the shore. By all rights, the ocean should have dragged your body into its depths." The old woman closed her eyes. "Very few of us believe in spirits any more, but I can come up with no other explanation."

"Spirits?" I laughed in disbelief. "Those are just stupid stories."

Kanna raised an eyebrow. "Can you think of anything else?" Not even waiting for a reply, she continued, "Nine days ago, a Fire Nation ship attacked our village for the first time in over a year. Their captain was a young man, Prince Zuko. He captured the Avatar, and my grandchildren followed their ship."

"The Avatar? Everyone knows he's dead! And _Zuko_ attacked you?" The Zuko I knew was a cute kid, older than I was, but young enough to have Azula play merciless tricks on him. I knew he'd been banished, but I always assumed it had been to a cushy Fire Nation resort on an outlying territory somewhere. What was he doing in the South Pole? And why was he attacking people?

She held up a hand, silently telling me to wait. "We know that the children escaped, and the ship was buried under a landslide. The soldiers are still there, trying to excavate it, and they're running out of food. Before long, the raids on our village will start. You can either stay here, with your tribe, or return to the Fire Nation with the soldiers."

Of course, I opened my mouth to say I'd go back home, but no sound came out. I clenched my fists and tried again. "I . . . I don't . . ."

"You need to make a decision now, child."

"It doesn't make any sense!" I gestured violently, and the water beside us suddenly shot upward into the air, hovering shakily. With a gasp, I dropped my hands, and the ball of water collapsed.

"You're a waterbender?" Kanna glanced around, then grabbed my wrist and whispered, "No one can know about this! My granddaughter, Katara, was the last waterbender in this tribe-everyone else was taken a long time ago. My daughter died protecting her. The Fire Nation has a source in our tribe, otherwise they wouldn't have known about Katara, so they'll take you away if anyone in the village finds out!"

"Why would they do that?"

"The Water Tribe is in hiding, Ayaka. When I was young, this village was large and prosperous, filled with people. The Southern Water Tribe was never particularly big, or powerful, but we were happy. Now, the Fire Nation has taken control of us-and the waterbenders were our best fighters. They don't want any more fighting in the south."

"Okay," I said slowly, "but what does any of this have to do with me?"

"If the Fire Nation discovered that you were a waterbender, you would be imprisoned. Or worse. Don't expect to be safe if you return home." With a tired sigh, the old woman walked back towards the village, perhaps sensing that I needed time alone.

I sat down, inches from the ocean. Hesitantly, I extended one hand above the water, and lifted it slightly. The water rippled in response, and a tendril lifted from the surface and twisted gracefully towards my hand. Moving my hand to the right, I rotated it a little, and a wave began to grow. Reaching back, I let the water grow higher and higher, then pushed forward with all my strength. To my delight, the ridge of water became a real wave, crashing back down into the ocean after a few yards of travel. Suddenly, I remembered-

_"Look, Mama, I can make the water dance!" I waved my hands around above the washbasin, creating ripples without touching the water, and little waves began to splash over the sides._

_Her face paling, Chinatsu grabbed the basin with both hands, lifting it away. She glanced around frantically to make sure no one had seen. "No, Ayaka," she whispered tensely. "You can't do that, all right?" Without waiting for a response, she placed the washbasin on a high shelf and told me to wait for her in the garden with Lady Ursa._

A thin line of water landed on my hand, and I wiped it off on my fur. The area it had touched was already freezing-with the evening coming, the temperature steadily dropped. I realized that the bottom of my dress was soggy, as were my mittens, and shuddered. There's nothing worse than wet clothes.

But at the same time, I couldn't help but smile as I hurried to the village. I could already smell the seal jerky cooking.


	4. Chapter 3 - Crystal Cavern

**Disclaimer: I do not in any way own Avatar. Also, as I mentioned before, this story/timeline will not follow the actual one. Artistic license!**

"Why isn't there any black snow?"

"There's never black snow," Etsuko answered, skipping merrily in the snow. Her boots kicked up enormous clouds of white dust. "'Cept for when there's an attack. Gran-Gran says the smoke from the big boats mixes with the clouds, so when the snow comes down it's black instead of white."

"How did Kanna-I mean, Gran-Gran-know that?" I asked between gasping breaths, striving to catch up to the little girl. My feet trudged through the snow instead of balancing lightly as Etsuko's did.

"Gran-Gran told me she's from the North Pole," the little girl said, lowering her voice confidentially. "She didn't tell anyone else that. She said everything revolved around pots and massages."

"Pots and massages?" I stretched my mind back to my studies at the palace. We didn't learn about the Water Tribes, or anything but the Fire Nation for that matter, but Mother had shown me a book on the different cultures of the North and South Poles. It took me years to realize that it had been smuggled into the palace. "You mean, nepotism and misogyny?"

"Sure," she shrugged. "Gran-Gran came here when she was really little. It's hard to picture her being little, isn't it? Anyway, there was lots of black snow there, but when she was here for a few years the raids started. Now everyone's scared the raids are going to start again, 'cause of the ship up north-ish."

I shivered, pulling off my mittens to rub my cold palms together. "Don't you have warriors to protect the village?" She looked up at me with round gray eyes, and I realized- "Where are all the men?"

Etsuko straightened, clearly swelling with pride. "They all left two years ago to protect the Earth Kingdom from the Fire Nation! My dad went, too, but . . ." her voice wavered.

Sloshing through the snow, I finally caught up to the child and racked my brain for something comforting to say. "What was it you wanted to show me? I hope I wasn't dragged out of bed this early for nothing!"

She brightened immediately. "It's not early, it's nearly midday! My big brother Naoki told me about it before he left with Dad." Etsuko stopped abruptly, then lifted her hands to frame the sun, which hovered nearly directly above us. She then took off across the snow, leaving me to follow as quickly as I could. "Come on, it's almost there!"

"_What's_ almost-Etsuko!" The child had dodged into a little tunnel made of ice, apparently part of the natural formation. Stamping my feet to warm them up, I took off after her, bending double to fit. Before long, I was reduced to crawling, and even so the ice above scratched my scalp. The light rapidly receded behind me, so that I the only way I could see was with the dim light that managed to break through the thick ice. I stopped at a particularly dark patch to catch my breath, and heard the echoes of Etsuko's footsteps growing quieter and quieter. Water dripped onto my hair.

At long last, thin streams of light began to come into my view, and I eagerly crawled forward, finally tumbling out of the tunnel onto the blissfully soft, powdery snow. "Never again," I gasped, coughing. "Never-"

"Shhh, come on!" Etsuko hissed. Somehow, the little girl had made it through the tunnel completely unscathed, and now sat happily on a slab of rock high on the wall. Approaching, I could see how she made it up-a row of small steps were carved into the cave wall.

Once sitting on the ledge, I gazed out at the scene I had gone through hell for. It appeared to be nothing more than a dank, dim cavern, the ground covered in snow instead of ice. Unlike in the tunnel, no light filtered through the thick ice. In reality, the entire cave should have been pitch black, yet somehow I could see-only, as time went on, the light lessened. Within thirty seconds, we were submerged in total darkness.

"What's going-"

"Shhh!" Receiving a sharp poke in the ribs, I gave up on asking and slid as far as I could from the edge, until my back pressed against the ice. More water dampened my hair and back. I growled, then fell silent.

Golden light began to fill the cavern, seeming to come from nowhere. It grew brighter and brighter, seeming almost solid. Glancing around, I saw that the the entirety of the walls were made of crystal, as were the floor and ceiling. The light was reflected back and forth by the crystals a thousand times, until it seemed that the entire world must be glowing. Streams of red began to intertwine with the gold, creating an abstract tapestry so beautiful and unearthly that it brought tears to my eyes, for reasons I could not explain. The air itself seemed to hum, the sort of music you feel in your bones, and is never quite solid but all too real. It seemed to crackle like a friendly flame, that comforting silent whisper only a fire can make.

It seemed that the light died suddenly, but in reality it faded gradually, until the last golden drop flickered out, and we were left in darkness once more. Another light suddenly appeared behind me, and I turned to see Etsuko holding her hand over a patch of glowing crystal. "If you touch it, it lights up," she explained in a whisper.

"What . . . what was that?" I asked, mind slow to rid itself of the otherwordly display.

"I don't know," Etsuko said with a shrug. "It happens four times. Sunrise is my favorite- the colors are orange, and it's like you're flying because it sounds like the wind. At sunset, they're green, and there are drums that seem to pound in your soul, like a landslide. This was mid-day, so it was all red and gold and fiery. When the moon is at the highest point of the sky, the light is an ethereal silver, spreading from within and without, then a thousand drops of blue form a waterfall that curves through the cavern."

I was watching her as she talked, and by the last sentence her gray eyes were there, yet not there. She seemed to look past me, dreamy and knowing. How many times had she watched the universe dance in this crystal cave? But the wisdom vanished, transforming into alarm as footsteps echoed through the cave. The clank of metal against ice.

Without thinking, I lifted my legs up onto the ledge, and pressed myself against the wall, gesturing that Etsuko do the same. "The cavern will reject them," she mouthed. "It won't have the lights until they leave. It doesn't like metal."

"How long will they be here?" I whispered. There was no questioning who they were.

She placed her ear against the ice and listened for a moment. "There's a blizzard outside."

"Dragon crap!" Forgetting myself, I actually made a sound instead of just mouthing the words, and the words bounced around the cavern, amplifying with every second. The footsteps stopped, and I felt like cursing again, but instead made eye contact with Etsuko. Nodding, she lifted her hand from the crystal, and the cave was completely dark.

Now, voices reflected back and forth, coming closer and closer. "Did you hear that?"

"Be quiet, Uncle! We have to get back to the ship."

"The hole in the wall has closed, and the blizzard outside is too strong. We must wait here until it passes."

There was a pound on the ice, then frustrated cursing. Etsuko quivered next to me, and I put one arm around her, holding her close. We clung to each other and, feeling panic rising, I concentrated on the voices. They sounded so _familiar_, in a distant way.

I held my breath, frozen as the ice around me, as a hole appeared in the wall of the cavern, light leaking through. The figure of a man, short with a round belly, passed through the opening, followed by a tall, lean man. The moment their metal-clad feet touched the floor, the hole sealing behind them.

"I don't like this," muttered one angrily.

"Sit down, and have some tea. We're going to be here for a while." There was the sound of something being set down, then a flame suddenly appeared, a little spark cradled in one man's hand. Kneeling, he dropped the spark into a little bowl filled with wood, and the fire took hold and lit the cavern. He held a teapot over the flame, then drew two cups from his robes.

"How do you have tea?" the younger man growled, frustrated. His back was to us, so I couldn't see his face.

"Tea is an essential part of life, Nephew. The sooner you realize that, the better." He was sitting by the fire, so I could just barely make out his face: he was older than I had expected, with white hair and a round belly. His expression was jovial, comfortable, even in this situation. It took me a moment to realize that I knew him.

As Uncle Iroh poured the tea, his nephew scanned the cavern. The light from the fire exposed the darkest corners, including the shelf high up in the back of the room. My mind went into overdrive as his eyes moved closer and closer. Who was Uncle Iroh's nephew? It was obvious, so obvious, but I couldn't think-

His face was cast in shadow, so it was impossible to know where he was looking, but his head turned towards the ledge. Slowly, his face turned away, continuing the survey. Water trickled into the neck of my dress and down my back, and an involuntary shiver ran up my spine.

Another flame filled the cavern, this one held in the younger man's hand. His golden eyes flashed back and up to where Etsuko and I sat, petrified, on the shelf, then narrowed.


	5. Chapter 4 - Box of Ice

"So, what are you girls doing way out here?" Iroh asked comfortably, passing me a cup of tea. I wrapped my hands around the mug, savoring the heat and familiar scent. Beside me, Etsuko had tried tea for the first time and evidently decided she liked it, judging by the effort she was putting into emptying her cup. Zuko (yes, _Zuko_!) clenched his own mug tightly, glaring at his uncle.

Etsuko began to talk, but I nudged her and she fell silent. Kanna's warnings were at the forefront of my mind-no, it was best to keep quiet and leave when the storm ended. Etsuko knew the terrain better than the firebenders, and it wouldn't be too difficult to lose them. I hope.

"Well, my nephew and I were escaping the storm," he continued after a long pause. "I'm afraid we did not think to dress for the cold! Besides," Iroh added, "It's not difficult to feel the spiritual energy of-"

"Shut up, Uncle!" Zuko's hand erupted in fire, which he smashed into the flames in the center of the cavern. The shadows disappeared, returning after a moment. Spinning suddenly, he transferred his glare to me. "And stop staring at me!"

Flushing, I quickly fixed my gaze on my boots. I hadn't been able to look away from Zuko's scar since the moment Etsuko and I came to the fire. His entire face was strange when laid over the image I had retained in my mind: in the past two years, his features had twisted to become harsh, angry, determined. Only, now, fierce golden orbs stared at me with an intensity even more shocking than the scar itself-for the first time, I felt a shiver of true terror run down my spine.

"Do not be so tense, Prince Zuko," Iroh intervened. Thankfully, I felt Zuko's gaze lifting from me. "Should you stiffen and fall while stalking a deer, the deer shall run away. Hold the fishing pole too tightly, and the fish will not bite."

"We don't have any fish, Uncle! Or anything to catch fish with, or-"

"I'm afraid you're missing the-"

"Whatever!" The fire flared. Again, I felt his eyes turn to me. "You. How long until the storm ends?"

By this point, I was about two notches away from crying-which was just about the most embarrassing that could happen in this situation. Not even Etsuko was crying, and she couldn't have been older than six! It made sense, in a way: she was too young to know who these people were, or exactly what they could do to us. But then, it only took one look at the left side of Zuko's face to realize I couldn't be sure, either.

When I didn't answer, he swore again and snapped at Uncle Iroh. "We need to get back to the ship now, with the hostages."

"Wait a minute," I interrupted, "what the hell do you mean, hostages?"

"Yes, Prince Zuko, what exactly do you mean?"

"They have food, we need food," he answered indifferently. "You, peasant, should be grateful we don't just take it!"

"I'm not a peasant! My father is Lord Se-"

I cut myself off quickly, my mind finally catching up to my words. Fortunately, it seemed that Zuko wasn't overly impressed. "Every member of the water tribe is a peasant, peasant."

I started to retort, but Uncle Iroh intervened first. "Forgive my nephew, please. I'm afraid he has forgotten his manners."

"Maybe he didn't learn any to begin with," I shot back, figuring the situation couldn't get any worse. We were being held hostage in a cave in the middle of the blizzard with an apparently violent firebender and his uncle. It only had to go uphill from here.

"Shut up!"

"You shut up!"

"Children!"

We both stopped abruptly. Zuko returned to smoldering next to the fire, while I shrank back towards the wall with Etsuko. Iroh looked from him to me questioningly, but I knew that the combination of two years and looking completely different in Water Tribe clothes would keep me safe. Somehow I had the feeling that their learning my identity wouldn't help our chances.

"What's a hostage?" Etsuko whispered to me.

"They want to trade us for food," I explained quietly.

"But we don't have any food! We left the seal jerky at home!"

"They want to trade us for food from home."

"Oh." A moment of silence. "Why don't we just go through the tunnel and get some?"

"What tunnel?" Zuko's head snapped up.

I gave Etsuko a little nudge, warning her not to speak. At least while we were all trapped in a cave, I could try to figure out how to escape. Once we were out on the ice, there would be no chance. "It's filled in by the snow," I said. He stared at me piercingly, and I stared back.

Etsuko disappeared from sight, the darkness of the tunnel quickly enveloping her. Moving in front of the opening, I glanced around the cavern. Both firebenders had their eyes closed, appearing to be dozing off. It must have been midnight, and it was growing difficult to keep my eyes open, and my stomach was screaming at me-I hadn't eaten all day.

I started to climb into the tunnel when a monstrous sound shook the cave. Spinning, I saw that Uncle Iroh was lying flat on the ground, snoring and clearly dead to the world. Zuko, on the other hand, was clearly very much alive.

I clambered into the tunnel as quickly as I could, wincing at the scrapes on my hands from the sharp edges of the hole. Moments later, something brushed against my foot, and then, as I struggled forward, a hand grasped my ankle. I kicked back as hard as I could with the other foot and felt it strike metal. The hand released, and I dragged myself a few more feet before succumbing to the urge to look over my shoulder. A rather enraged firebender was hauling himself into the tunnel. Not the most confidence-boosting sight.

I hurried forward, my panic quickly growing. The tunnel was too small . . . dark . . . couldn't breathe . . . _couldn't breathe _. . .

Ice came crashing down around me, terrifying cracking noises, a cry of surprise. I sat there shaking, waiting to be killed, yet when the cloud of ice chips cleared I could still feel the bitter cold, and my hands rested against a slick, freezing surface. Was this hell? I wouldn't have been overly surprised, but something assured me that I was still very much among the living.

I held my arms out cautiously, and felt more ice block their path. After a minute of confused fumbling in the pitch-darkness, I had a clear enough picture of my surroundings, which didn't exactly boost my confidence. I was trapped in a box of thick, impenetrable ice, through which no light filtered. It took no more than a few feeble efforts of shoving the walls to realize that I had no hope of escaping-then I heard something that granted me an unprecedented amount of relief-

"I'm fine, Uncle! Stop it!"

I began to call out, but then reality caught up to me. There would be no help from the enemy-and I wouldn't want it, anyway. Besides, I was a waterbender! That had to count for something. And so, with death literally looming over me, I breathed, concentrated, summoned the energy of my ancestors, and pushed outward with all my strength.

Nothing. Time for Plan B: Humility.

"Zuko!" I yelled at the top of my lungs, beating my hands against the wall. "Get me out of here so I can kick your-" Okay. _Somewhat_ humility.

There was a moment of silence, then an answering pound from the other side of the ice. "Okay. Ask nicely, and I'll help you get out."

I could detect a certain smugness in his voice, damn him. I was nearly crying now, which was uncharacteristic but a little overdue. After all, I'd been taken far away from my home with little hope of returning, thrown into an entirely new life, taken captive by a former brother-ish, and now had to choose between that aforementioned insane brother-ish and being buried alive. Actually, when put that way, a decision was easy.

"Never mind, I'll just stay in here!"

"Don't be childish, Water Tribe."

"You're the one who cries whenever a turtle-duck bites you!"

"It was one time, and I-"

****There was silence again, only this was ominous, like seeing a storm in the distance and knowing it will rip you apart but cannot be avoided. I shrank in the darkness, taking comfort from the ice around me, shielding me from the unknown forces outside. But that didn't last long, because the ice on the right side of my body began to glow, as if someone was blasting their way through with a concentrated beam of flame.


	6. Chapter 5 - Traitor, the Banished Prince

**Thanks so much for the reviews! They really made my week.**

I tried waterbending a few times, as the beam of fire rapidly approached, with no success. What was the use of this stupid element, anyway? After a few seconds of frustrated gesturing and a few more of rude gesturing, I sat with my back against the wall, arms wrapped around my legs as if to place a barrier between myself and the flame smashing through the final, thin coating of ice. The line of fire withdrew, but I remained huddled in my little cave, eyes desperately trying to adjust to the sudden lack of light. Seconds seemed to become hours.

"I'll . . . go see if the storm has cleared up."

"If it has, go back to the ship and wait for us there." I could hear Iroh make a hasty escape, the echoes of his footsteps disappearing in the distance with silence in their wake. In a way, that was more frightening than anything else. Zuko's _thing_ was to yell in his high-pitched little voice, then storm off in a cloud of flames. Now, after two years, I truly didn't know what to expect.

At last, the suspense was too much to stand, and I slid out of the tunnel feet-first, and immediately realized I had been completely wrong. Not knowing what to expect was so much better than having it all figured out.

The banished Prince of the Fire Nation leaned against the wall of the cavern, a newly familiar dark scowl marking his face. That was why he looked so different, a small part of my mind decided as the rest of it debated fight vs. flight. His anger marked him more than the scar ever would.

"Who are you?"

I took a step back.

"Did my father send you? Is he-does he want me to come home?"

Another step back. Only this time he took a step forward.

"Are you a spy? Or a traitor?"

My back hit the wall, and Zuko moved forward in an instant, grabbing my arm and shoving me hard. I found myself on the ground, outstretched wrist bent strangely. In the next moment, the pain hit. My eyes filled with tears, but I fiercely blinked them back, determined not to cry. Instead-choking back tears-I laid my hand in the snow. The soft powder seemed to soothe the break, until the pain was completely gone.

Zuko had resumed his position at the wall, this time not smiling or scowling. Bracing myself, I rolled over onto my back and into a sitting position. To my surprise, my arm didn't even twinge-probably just bruised. Both hands dug deep into the snow.

He advanced again. "Tell me-"

I thrust both hands forward and upward, and two thick streams of snow blasted the prince in the face, throwing him back. Scrambling to my feet, I slashed out with one hand, and a concentrated spear of water followed. Zuko motioned, and a matching blast of fire blocked my attack.

"Waterbender?" he asked incredulously. "No-waterbenders were removed from the Southern Tribe years ago!" I raised a layer of water to my palms and sent it flying at the prince, who blocked it with a sweep of one hand. "So who the hell are you?"

"It doesn't matter," I shot back. "Besides, I thought you were just going to ransom me to the village for food. Remember?"

"I don't care about the South Pole, or your village, or you." Zuko slowly began to move towards my left, like a cat stalking its prey, and I followed his motion, edging to the right. "I care about regaining my honor. To do so, I need the Avatar, but perhaps my father will let me come home if I bring him a traitor."

"I'm not a traitor!" I protested, then froze. Of course I wasn't a traitor, I _couldn't_ be! But . . . here I was, at the South Pole, trying to fight a Prince of the Fire Nation. "A _banished_ prince," I quietly reminded myself. "It's not the same thing."

Taking advantage of my lack of concentration, Zuko suddenly leaped forward catching my arm and pinning the opposite shoulder to the wall. At least, he would have, had I not ducked under his hand and stumbled a few feet before spinning to face him. I had never really learned to fight, but being Azula's friend was enough to keep anyone light on their feet. "Yes, a _banished_ prince," Zuko snarled. His expression betrayed the shift from cold to angry. "Surrender now: we both know I could defeat you in seconds, but I don't want to hurt you. Keep acting this way, and I might forget that and give you a scar just like mine."

I resisted the urge to shiver, dropping my eyes to avoid his intense, relentless eyes. He was right, of course. The royal family was trained in fighting from the moment they could walk-and even if that wasn't the case, my only real strength was . . . avoiding situations in which I had to fight. "Okay," I said slowly, forcing myself to lift my hands in surrender. Zuko remained in his aggressive stance, but a smirk spread across his face. That's what really shoved me over the edge.

Suddenly moving my hands forward, I propelled a blanket of snow towards Zuko. He was taken by surprise, but was already bringing his hands up to block the attack when I closed my eyes. _Freeze. Please, please freeze. Just this once, do what I say!_ Something inside me clicked. I exhaled, and felt the ice spread from there to the snow surrounding the prince, freezing him to the wall. His hands began to glow, melting the ice, but I had turned to face the wall. As if reading my mind, the ice parted and I raced through, into the snowy landscape. I'd removed my coat and mittens at the fire, so the chill struck immediately. Behind me, there was the sound of a thousand pieces of ice shattering on the ground.

I made it about ten feet before he caught me, his hands clamping down on my wrists and yanking me back, then slamming me against the outside wall of the cave. The ice pressing against the front of my body was unnaturally smooth and cold; the hands holding me from behind were unnaturally warm.

"Get off of me!" I struggled, managing to break free long enough to take a step to the left. Again, my wrist was caught in an iron grip and I was forced back against the ice wall, this time with my back pressed against it. Zuko grabbed my other wrist and clamped both to the wall beside my head.

"Done yet?" he asked condescendingly, smirking. I tried to free my hands, but his seemed to be made of stone. After a minute or two of uselessly struggling, I kicked upward, and my knee connected with something. Zuko winced, and let out a strained, quiet groan of pain, his face turning very red with suppressed emotion. Seeing this, I kicked again, but he moved forward, pinning my legs under his so I couldn't move.

I flinched. "Let go of me!"

Zuko appeared to consider for a moment. "Say 'please.'"

"I-_please_ let go of me."

He waited an extra second, as if reminding me who had control of the situation, then took a step back and released me. I immediately threw a punch at his face, but he caught my fist in midair. "You should learn to quit while you're ahead," Zuko snarled, then curled his fingers around my wrist and began to pull me across the ground.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" I dug my feet into the snow, trying to stop, but his pace didn't slow and I was forced to walk or be dragged. "Stop it! I want to go home!" I suddenly realized that I did want to go home. I just didn't know what home was any more.

"That pathetic village won't last a week," the prince answered indifferently. "My men took control of it in ten minutes when we were searching for the Avatar. If I wanted it gone, it would burn tomorrow."

"Oh, you can beat up a bunch of women and kids, that's very intimidating." I couldn't stop myself from shrinking back with fear as he spun on me. For a moment I thought he was going to hit me, but instead his hold on my wrist tightened, and heat suddenly seared my skin. I cried out and desperately pulled away; the burning only grew.

"You know who I am," Zuko said slowly and precisely. "From when I was a kid. Who are you?" I raised my right hand for one final attempt at waterbending, but his golden eyes fixed on mine, and I lowered it. His fingers on my skin began to smoke. "I said, _who are you_?"

****"I-I'm-" A tear froze halfway down my face, hit the ground, and shattered. "I can't . . ." Agony split open my skull as actual flames burst into life where Zuko's hand gripped my wrist. Suddenly I was falling . . . the ground was coming closer, so strange . . . and darkness.


	7. Chapter 6 - No Time to Mourn

**Note: The first part of this chapter is told from Zuko's POV, then later switches over to Ayaka. It should be fairly obvious, but I wanted to make sure there was no confusion. And for the record, spoiler, this will not be a Zuko/OC story! It may hint at that, but that's far too unbearable.**

"What the-" I released the girl's wrist as she fell, taking a small step back to avoid stepping on her. Her head was limp in the snow, eyes closed. Flames spread up her arm, but I quickly kneeled and scooped snow over it to extinguish the fire.

Once smoke stopped rising from the snow-covered bump, I leaned over it and gingerly brushed a little of the snow aside to take a look at the wound-and immediately drew back. I had promised to give her a scar just like mine, and apparently succeeded in this respect, if missing the face.

The girl had left her heavy fur coat in the cave, but still wore a thinner, less bulky jacket. Gripping the fabric of the left shoulder, I ripped the length of the sleeve vertically and peeled it off her injured arm, then tossed the still-smoldering cloth into the snow. Stepping to the other side of her body I repeated the action with the other sleeve, then began to work.

After working for nearly ten minutes, I stood to view my handiwork. A strip of cloth was wound around the girl's burns, while another firmly bound her hands together behind her back. I still had a little material in reserve-"In case I need a gag," I thought out loud.

As if in response, the girl visibly shivered. Beneath the second jacket she wore a sleeveless white tank top, which, soaked with snow, already clung to her skin. This in of itself was a little distracting-much to my irritation-but it wasn't enough to move my focus from the current dilemma. Getting the ship back onto the water was one thing, the girl another entirely. I could trade her to the village for food, letting us escape the South Pole and keeping half the men from deserting, but what if she could do something so much more for me? She was almost certainly someone from the Fire Nation court, based on her speech and that nagging sense that I knew her. Surely someone important would be grateful for her return-or, if she was a traitor, I could prove myself to my father by delivering her to the Fire Nation.

The girl shuddered again, only this time the shivering seemed to run through her entire body. I began to take off my own jacket, since the heat my skin gave off was enough to warm myself, but slipped it back on a moment later. She had a penchant for escape attempts, but dressed the way she was she would freeze without making it far. Surely, that would be enough to ensure good behavior.

She began to stir, eyelids fluttering, and I moved away from her. Standing with my arms crossed over my chest, I watched as she awkwardly struggled to her feet, then cried out in pain when the makeshift bandage chafed her injured arm.

"You set me on fire!" she shouted accusingly, clearly in a hurry to get back on the warpath.

"Don't talk, peasant," I answered angrily. Her eyes narrowed. "You need to understand who's in charge."

An angry retort had already left her lips, but I didn't pay attention because my mind had finally made the connection.

_A gentle voice answered my knock. "Come in, Zuko."_

_I entered my mother's chambers, closing the door behind me, and found her sitting on the sleek red couch, looking elegant as ever in the simple red robes she wore out of the public eye. I walked through the room, a stately nine-year-old, to her side, then leaped up onto the couch next to the her, paying scant attention to the lady-in-waiting and her daughter sitting by the window._

_"How were your lessons today?"_

_"Awful." I made a face. "The teacher likes Azula more. Everyone likes Azula more."_

_"I'm sure that isn't true, Zuko. Of course, I can't pick a favorite, since I'm your mother, but . . ." She winked at me, and I grinned._

_"Fire Lady Ursa?" Mother glanced up at the lady-in-waiting, who now stood. Her skin was light brown, eyes grey, and long, dark brown hair braided and pinned into an intricate bun. As with Mother, she dressed differently in the private rooms than in the remainder of the castle: a blue silk kimono, tied around the waist with a white sash that matched the lining of the sleeves and collar. The neck of her kimono was low-cut, and displayed her blue necklace, from which hung a polished blue stone engraved with a candle surrounded by ripples of water._

_"Yes, Lady Chinatsu?"_

_"May I speak with you in the bedchamber?" The lady hesitated, then added in a whisper, "It's about Ayaka."_

_My mother's eyes widened, and she rose to her feet, lightly resting a hand on my shoulder. "I'll only be a moment, darling." She followed Lady Chinatsu through the door at the end of the room, and I heard the click of a lock._

_Ayaka studied the scene below the window, captivated. She was practically a clone of her mother, but with a more stubborn set to her jaw and a certain fire in her blue-grey eyes. Also unlike Lady Chinatsu, she wore traditional Fire Nation robes, red and gold. We'd seen and spoken to each other many times previously, of course, but always when Azula or our mothers were present._

_I slid down from the couch and strode over to the window. Mother's chambers overlooked the main garden, and from the large window one could see the entirety of the red-gold trees and numerous turtle-duck ponds and fountains. "Get off the seat and let me see!"_

_"No!" Ayaka didn't even turn to look at me. "I was here first."_

_I didn't particularly care about the window, but her refusal added sparks to the fire. "I command you to move!"_

_This time, she did glance at me for a moment, and I saw that blue flames burned in her eyes, then turned to gaze imperiously over the garden. "No. Now go away!"_

_I grabbed her hand and yanked her off. "I'm going to be in charge, so you have to listen to what I say!" My skin began to burn, just as it always did when I was especially angry._

_"Ow!" Ayaka yelped, snatching her hand back. "You burned me!"_

_"It's barely even singed," I replied peremptorily, and crossed my arms over my chest. "Next time you should listen to your Crown Prince."_

_She glared and punched me in the gut_.

Ayaka stiffened as I stared at her. She looked exactly like her mother now-Lady Chinatsu always had been one of the prettiest ladies in the court. That same fire still burned in her eyes, and the stubbornness was obvious as ever. She held her head high, even dressed in nothing more than a tank top, leggings, and boots, before her enemy. She met my gaze at first, but flushed and glanced down after a few seconds, clearly made uncomfortable by my scrutiny. My eyes caught a little bulge in the right hip pocket of her leggings, and a strand of blue ribbon trailed out-the necklace, it must be. As if in a trance, I moved forward and reached down to touch the ribbon and look at the necklace from so long ago, and the glass broke. Ayaka turned and raced over the snowy landscape.

For a moment I stayed there, frozen with surprise, then I began to chase after her. Reason kicked in after half a dozen steps and I slowed to a walk. At some point, the girl had to figure out that she would freeze to death before she got anywhere.

For hours on end, the trail of footprints continued. The sun was high in the sky when we left the cavern, and by the time I found her it was sinking below the horizon. Hills of snow had been formed by the blizzard, and beneath one of these a waterbender had shoved the snow aside to create a hole beneath the small mountain, then frozen a few feet of snow into walls and ceiling to ensure the hill wouldn't collapse onto the cave. Here, in this ice alcove, a small, exhausted shape curled up in the snow.

White surrounded me on all sides, pressing in on me. I couldn't breathe. Could I? No. I was drowning in white, soft white and hard white, all of it cold and wet. There was nothing to see but blankness, nothing to hear or touch or smell. Claustrophobia overcame me, and I clawed at my surroundings, twisting my body around to pound on all sides, trying to escape.

My mind suddenly snapped into clarity, and I flashed back to the previous evening: Exhausted, I had used waterbending to create a little cave in the hill of snow, freezing walls and a floor, then collapsed within. Logic told me someone had shoved another block of ice in front of the entrance, closing me in. Logic also told me who would have reason to trap me in a prison I had inadvertently created.

_Okay_, I thought with forced calm, _I got myself in here. I can get myself out._ Bringing my hands a few inches from my torso, I inhaled deeply and thrust my arms out.

Absolutely nothing.

"Why don't you ever work!" I shouted, beating my fists against the ice. Sharp pain seared my wrapped left arm, but panic blocked it out. "What's the point of this stupid element?" At that moment, the block began to slide, and I gasped in surprise. Had it-no. No. My so-called "natural ability" seemed only to work when I wasn't even trying, but if I actually _needed_ to waterbend . . .

"We're going to talk," Zuko said, sitting cross-legged in the opening of the cave. Instinctively I tried to shove my way past him, but he calmly took hold of my upper arms and forced me back. I immediately perceived a change: Zuko does nothing _calmly_. Yes, there was a certain knowledge in his golden eyes, a certain element of hope that frightened me. He waited a moment before adding, "Ayaka."

He knew. I had been thrown onto my side, leaning back on the wall of the cave, but, regaining my dignity, I changed my position to sit with my legs crossed, back perfectly straight and head up. Of course, the cave was small enough that I could only achieve this dignified stature at the very mouth of the cave, with less than an inch between myself and Zuko. I hardly cared about that-it gave me a better chance of escape should the opportunity arise.

"Ayaka," he repeated; this time, his hand teasingly slid up his leg, tapping his fingers against my knee. I could see the faintest hint of a smirk.

"Are you enjoying this?" He looked more smug than ever. "Oh, wait-isn't it every little boy's dream to have the girl who used to fight with him trapped in a cave in the South Pole?" I said pointedly.

"Trapped in a cave in the middle of nowhere with a ship just a day's journey away in the South Pole," Zuko corrected. His eyes grew more intense; his fingers stopped tapping and dug into my knee. "I've been away from home, but you have a father, Lord Seiji."

"He died over a year ago in the Battle of Serpent's Pass." Even now, the memory of it hurt, but I thrust it away. There was no time for mourning now, just as there had been none then.

"Oh. I'm sorry for your loss."

"He won the battle," I replied, holding my head proudly. "Don't offer your condolences, please. I wouldn't appreciate them even if you weren't holding me here against my will. And before you ask, there isn't anyone looking for me, no one who would pay ransom for me. My mother left when yours did, and I have no other family."

Zuko remained for a moment, and I met his stare. He removed his fingertips from my knee and stood. I looked up at him, hating the fact that I had to look up at him, and the smirk finally disappeared. "We're going to the ship."

"What? But I told you, there's no one who will give you anything for me! Just let me go back to the village!"

"We're going to the ship," he reiterated, and roughly took hold of my injured arm. I yelped in pain, but the prince ignored it, twisting my arm cruelly. I staggered to my feet, tears in my eyes, and he released me. "Now are you going to walk, or will I have to drag you?"

I blinked back the water in my eyes and drew my oversized red jacket closer to my body. A small part of my mind wondered where the jacket had come from, and what had happened to the old one, but at the moment I was too concerned with not crying.

"Are you going to walk, or will I have to drag you?" Zuko caught hold of my hands and tightly wound a strip of cloth around my wrists, tying it with one hard yank. He glared. "Well?"

I smiled.


	8. Chapter 7 - Prisoner

"Mush! Mush on!"

Zuko swore between breaths. My hands and feet were tied, and his hands gripped my ankles and dragged me across the icy ground, the back of my head and my back itself scraping the ice. My position was certainly uncomfortable, but I was enjoying it far more than Zuko enjoyed his. We'd only been traveling for a few hours when-

"We're here," he grunted, unceremoniously dropping me. With a swift slice of one hand, his fire slashed through the ties on my ankles, another motion cut the cloth around my wrists, and I stiffly rose to my feet.

"No, we can't be here!" I contradicted. "The ship must be at least a day away."

"Actually, you ran off in the exact direction of the ship." Taking my right arm firmly with his hand, Zuko pointed to an enormous, dark shape covered in ice. We stood on a long, thin block of ice inches from the ocean, and the ship was wedged against one of the ice mountains dotting the blue waters. "Waterbend us towards it, peasa-_Ayaka_."

"What? Why would I do that?"

"In case you haven't noticed, I could kill you if I wanted to."

"No, you couldn't," I said with more confidence than I felt. "We grew up together, remember? At least, I was the closest thing you had to a friend: an enemy."

He was quiet, then, and we both remembered the many afternoons spent in the palace. My mother and his were close friends-so close that they disappeared together; as their children, Zuko and I were forced to spend time together in the Fire Lady's chambers. I was part of Azula's circle of friends, so we were automatically enemies, combined with the fact that I have a distinct lack of obedience when it comes to pompous princes.

_I glared, and punched him in the gut._

_The prince gasped in surprise and pain and doubled over. "You hit me!"_

_I crossed my arms over my chest. "So there." Stepping to the window, I slid it open and peeked outside. To the left, a decorative golden roof ran the length of the palace. It wasn't very wide, but it looked like it wouldn't be difficult to shuffle along it if one happened to be a slender seven-year-old girl._

_"What are you doing?" Zuko demanded._

_Ignoring him, I set one foot on the decorative roof, trying to get a good grip. Once it slid into a groove, I placed my other foot beside it and nimbly slid the rest of my body out of the window. My hands gripped the next layer of roofing, a few feet above the window, and I poked my head inside. "Are you coming or not?"_

"Couldn't I, though?" His voice was so cold I glanced up at him, to see that his face was a frightening, expressionless mask. His hand was like a vise on my arm. "Things have changed."

Yes. I guess they have. I pried his fingers off, which he didn't fight, and rubbed the red marks left on my skin. Raising my hands, I concentrated on the water surrounding me. _Don't fight it, Ayaka. Breath fuels fire, movement fuels water. Move with the water._ All those tiny droplets surrounding me, particles of water everywhere-in the ocean, in the ice, in the air itself. My only purpose in life was to listen to them, play with them, guide them.

My hands moved forward, but my body went with them, fluidly changing stances. The piece of ice Zuko and I stood on broke away from the rest; it rode through the ocean on a wave I created, which wasn't especially big but moved very quickly. In less than a minute, we reached the edge of the ship and the block of ice stopped abruptly.

It took me a moment to realize that I could just dump Zuko into the ocean and waterbend away, but by the time the idea occurred a chain was wrapped around my waist and I was being lifted up into the air beside the ship. I clung tightly to the chain and closed my eyes as the chain pulled me higher and higher, then I felt hands on my waist pulling me over the side of the ship onto the deck.

My eyes snapped open to see a young, clean-shaven soldier, dark hair cut close to his scalp, unwinding the chain. Holding the links in one hand, he glanced up with an embarrassed, "Sorry, Miss," and hurried away. I crossed my arms self-consciously: since the young soldier left, I was surrounded by men in Fire Nation armor, all of whom seemed to be looking directly at me.

Half the deck was covered in a landslide of snow, the surface of which had melted then frozen into ice. A group of six firebenders steadily attacked the ice with bolts of fire, but I knew from brief experience that nature would make up for the snow cleared within a night. No wonder Zuko was so desperate; it would take weeks to completely free the ship.

"Ryuu, Shoichi, put the girl with the other prisoner." Zuko, who had followed me up, gestured to two soldiers. Uncle Iroh approached him and they moved towards the cabin, already discussing quietly. The young soldier stepped to my right, and the second to my left. This man was a few years older, and something about his eyes and smile made me want to shrink into a thing so small as to be invisible. The soldiers on the deck went back to working at the ice, and the two guards led me down stairs covered by a trapdoor. Inside the ship, the air was far more frigid, as if the metal on all sides caught the cold and multiplied it back and forth.

The ship seemed to be empty, with the majority of the soldiers up on the deck, but a group of three loitered in the opening of one of the many doors lining the hall. "Hey, Shoichi," one of them called, "new prisoner?"

"Yeah, taking her below," the scary guard answered.

"Need any help?" He leisurely ran his eyes over me, as if seeing beneath my clothes, and I wondered if I was naked-it certainly felt that way. My hands shook slightly as I drew my coat closer to myself, as if it could protect me from the rest of the world.

The young guard-he must be Ryuu, I decided-shot the others a warning look. "I can take her the rest of the way, Shoichi. You go back."

"Lighten up, Ryuu," one of the others cajoled him. "None of us are going anywhere anytime soon, so why not enjoy ourselves while we're here?"

"I'll report you," Ryuu replied calmly. "You know Prince Zuko doesn't take prisoners for your entertainment, and I doubt he'll care that you're my superiors when he learns that you've been threatening someone important enough that she's being held in the most secure room on this ship." With the same quiet confidence, he placed one hand on my right arm and guided me down the hallway. As we passed the soldiers, one whistled and another laughed-I felt heat rush to my face-but none interfered.

We turned into another corridor, and came upon a door at which two helmeted guards stood at attention. Ryuu released me for a moment to force the heavy iron door open; I felt the overpowering urge to run, and had to dig my fingernails into my palms to resist. Something about me hates to be confined, whether that means having someone control me or being locked in a cell. It's the combination of the two that's the worst, and I have no doubt this was what awaited me beyond that iron door. Even so, when the thought of the men in the hallway is weighed against the potentially unknown, I'll take the unknown any day of the week.

The door screeched as the soldier shoved it with all his might, finally swinging open. I climbed through after Ryuu, without urging, and inwardly winced when I saw the room. A cage-cell, I guess-was built from metal bars, with a substantial metal door and lock. Ryuu unlocked the door of the cell and motioned for me to enter, but I stood frozen a foot from the door. He waited patiently for a long few seconds, then gently took hold of my arm and gave me a little push. Unfortunately, it was my burned arm, so it took everything I had not to scream. As it was, I barely noticed the click of a lock and the slam of the door.

Once the room was empty, I fell to the floor and, after a minute or so, sat up and hugged my knees tight to my chest. My arm hurt like hell, I was trapped in an enemy ship, and starting to cry. Just as I descended into full-out sobbing, an earth-shattering snore split the bleak metal cage.

I shrieked in surprise and moved back against the wall, looking wildly around the seemingly empty room. A shadow in the corner directly opposite me began to move, then sat upright and stretched its arms over its head with an audible yawn-and, turning towards me, stopped halfway through the motion. "Uh . . . hello?"

"Hi," I replied cautiously, keeping my arms wrapped around my knees, pulling them tightly to my chest.

"Who are you? Do you have any food?"

"Who are _you_? And-what?"

The shadow crawled forward into the light, and turned into a boy around my age with light brown skin and light blue eyes. He wore a blue tunic, which reminded me of my mother's kimono, trimmed in white and slashed up both sides for more movement, with leggings underneath. I remembered that Kanna offered to give me a similar garment, but I chose to remain with my layers of jackets. "I'm Sokka, of the Southern Water Tribe. Who are you?"

"Ayaka. I came to the South Pole a few . . ." A week ago? How strange-I had left my home so recently, but it felt like a lifetime. "I was at the Southern Water Tribe when Zuko captured me," I hastily continued, "and I don't know why they brought me here. Why were you taken?"

"My sister and I rescued the Avatar, but they captured me during the battle and I sent Katara and Aang away. They're probably on their way to the North Pole right now."

"You're Kanna's grandson!" I exclaimed. "And the Avatar is alive? Truly?"

"No, it's just always been a dream of mine to get thrown in a cell on a Fire Nation ship," Sokka retorted sarcastically. "I didn't think he was the Avatar either, but he proved me wrong, big time."

I slowly said, "The Avatar's alive. I'll process that later. What's it like in here? I mean-what do they do to you?"

"Food once a day, that's pretty much it," he said with a shrug. "And the food is terrible. At least they don't torture us, but I guess they're too busy trying to melt the ice to bother with us Southern Tribe peasants."

I bit back the urge to tell him that I wasn't a peasant, and instead said, "One of the guards seems okay. Maybe he could help us get out?"

"They're Fire Nation," Sokka replied. "Every one of those bastards was born evil."

"_I'm_ Fire Nation!"

He took a second look at me, at my red coat and the wrappings on my arm, and said coldly, "So what are you doing here? Let me guess: Zuko's out for revenge on his ex-girlfriend."

"No," I protested. "I . . . it's a long story. But I'm _not_ Zuko's girlfriend, ex or otherwise. I told you, I don't _know_ why he captured me! God knows I gave him many opportunities to let me go."

Sokka began to respond, but was cut off by the heavy door slamming into the wall. Through the hole stepped Zuko, who turned towards the cell and inserted the key into the lock, wrenching the door open with one strong yank. He looked directly at me. "You're coming up to the deck."

"Leave her alone!" Sokka shot back, rising to his feet. "Go back to hell."

Zuko snorted and lazily bent a ball of fire into his palm. "Shut up, peasant. Or should I just burn your tongue off?"

"Okay, Testosterone." I stood up, leaning against the wall with my hands clasped behind my back. Sokka and Zuko, who were now only feet apart, broke out of their staring competition to look at me. "Sokka, excellent chivalry. Zuko, I'll go up with you-but first, you have to tell me what's going to happen."

Fire curled around his fingers, and the prince smiled cruelly, as if pleased with himself for whatever he had dreamed up, especially the parts that hurt others. "You're going to waterbend the snow off of the ship so we can get out of the South Pole, which you will do for several reasons. Should you refuse, we'll attack your little village and I'll give my men free rein to do whatever they like. Also, your new friend here will die. Am I perfectly understood?"

His eyes were smug, clearly enjoying the fact that I had no choice, and it took every ounce of willpower I had to release my defiance and replace it with humility. Once I let go of that fire, the fear overwhelmed me and I couldn't speak, so I just nodded and ducked my head. Suddenly, the reality of the situation had hit me. I was trapped on the ship of a banished prince, far from home with no chance of returning, and in the worst danger of my life. All of the horrible stories Azula had told me of the warfront came rushing back-and these soldiers weren't even governed by the makeshift laws of the Fire Nation Army.

"As for you, peasant," Zuko transferred his attention to Sokka, "you're going to tell me where the Avatar is going. Or I'll kill _your_ friend." He shifted his eyes in my direction, then back at Sokka.

**Note: Please review! It's going to take me a while to write the next chapter anyway, but I'd go faster with some motivation . . .**


	9. Chapter 8 - The Truth

**Thanks so much for all the reviews! In response to the disappointment over no Zuko-Ayaka romance, allow me to be perfectly clear: I'm not saying that it couldn't happen, but it's not an automatic romance. It could happen, it could not. I like seeing how things play out! Also, it's always annoyed me that EVERYONE falls in love with Zuko, but Sokka has never really been a great romantic figure. I'm as interested in what happens next as you are! (Oh, and more reviews would be much appreciated!)**

The ship moved swiftly through the water, thankfully not rocking back and forth excessively: I'm very easily seasick. The air was already growing warmer as it sped out of the South Pole and into open waters, but I didn't remove my jacket. Beneath it, I wore only a white tank top, and I felt susceptible enough to the soldiers' eyes already. Besides, every time Zuko looked at me I wanted him to remember that we had once lived in the Fire Nation together, which had to be a factor in the fact that he gave me the jacket in the first place.

_"Are you coming or not?"_

_"No!"_

_"Okay." I let go of the window ledge and edged along the roof, gripping the decorations above to keep from falling. After a moment, there was a little thump and Zuko climbed out next to me, feet skidding nervously on the roof._

_Together, we moved along the wall of the palace, making it a dozen feet until Zuko called, "Why are we doing this?"_

_"Shhh!" I glanced to the left and right, then continued the journey, coming closer and closer to the window of Ursa's bedchamber._

"Wait a second . . ." Leaping to my feet, I banged my fists against the metal wall. "Hey! _Hey_! Someone go get Zuko, now! And when I say 'now,' I mean now!" Okay,the fear had worn off a bit by now: Sokka had told them that Aang and Katara were headed for the North Pole, and I'd released the ship from its icy prison, so fingers crossed they wouldn't kill us until I had the chance to yell at Zuko. Of course, as minutes trickled past I felt terror creeping up my spine again, but shoved it back down. If I was to die today, I certainly didn't plan on going to my grave quivering like a cornered hog monkey.

At last, after what seemed hours but was probably no more than twenty minutes, the door clanked against the wall and I scrambled to my feet, arms crossed.

"What?" Zuko snapped. I saw the guard behind him smile as he fit the mask into his helmet, then depart through the open door, which closed behind him.

"I got your ship out of the ice," I stated, stepping so that my face was inches from the bars. I wrapped my fingers around the metal and stared directly at Zuko. "I don't have any information or value. So why am I still here?"

"You're a Fire Nation subject in the Southern Water Tribe. From what I can see, you are a traitor to the Fire Nation, and I will deliver you to the Fire Lord for judgement."

"What?" I exclaimed, mind spinning. "I am not a traitor! You have no right to accuse me of betraying my nation! _You're_ the traitor, not me!"

The moment the words left my lips, I wished I could take them back. They hung in the air, invisible yet obvious, silent but all too loud. Before, his expression was that familiar annoyance from years ago, with an element of anger; now it had twisted into something so enraged that it was unrecognizable. He leaped forward and grabbed for me, but at the last moment I released the bars and shrank back. Zuko reached for the key in his pocket and shoved it into the lock, about to enter the cell, but paused at the last moment. His hand slowly removed the key, dropped it back into his armor, and curled into a fist at his side.

"We will capture the Avatar at the North Pole, and my honor will be restored. He will be delivered to my father, along with the three members of the Southern Water Tribe, who will be enslaved or executed. I don't give a damn which."

After he had gone, Sokka said, "I think you've just been initiated into the Southern Water Tribe."

I slid my hand into the right pocket of my leggings and slowly removed a smooth blue stone that was as familiar to me as my mother's touch. My father had adhered to Mother's traditions and carved her a betrothal necklace: a candle surrounded by delicate ripples of water. I ran my fingers over the little ridges. "Why do you hate the Fire Nation? Why did the women in the village hate the Fire Nation?"

"The Fire Nation are monsters," the Water Tribe teenager answered, and for the first time I wondered if he was always so serious, a characteristic I had accepted as permanent. Somehow the expression looked unnatural on his face. "They've been oppressing the entire world for one hundred years. They destroyed the Air Nomads, they're attacking the Earth Kingdom and as for the Water Tribes . . . We used to be a proud and prosperous nation! But then the Fire Nation besieged us for years, capturing our waterbenders and destroying our city and towns until we ended up as a tiny camp eking out existence on the edge of the former capital. We've been cut off from our sister tribe, left out in the cold, just waiting to die out."

"No! The Fire Nation would never do any of those things!" Even as I spoke, all of my school lessons came flooding back-_Fire Lord Sozin defeated the Air Nomad army, the Fire Nation is engaging in war to spread our culture and prosperity, the Golden Age is coming into being all over the world . . ._

"I . . . God, I can't believe this. Everything is so . . . so wrong!" I sank down against the wall. "It's like there's this huge lie at the center of the Fire Nation, but it's so obvious that no one sees it! I didn't see it!"

"You're not one of them any more," Sokka reminded me, and I heard him settle softly on the ground beside me. "You're one of us. We are the Southern Water Tribe, and we are going to escape this ship."

"We can't!" I buried my face in my hands. "If we try we'll fail, and then there will be nothing stopping Zuko from killing us-or worse."

There was a moment of silence. "I can get us out," he said quietly, and his hand found mine. "I promise."

The days went by very slowly in our prison. We never quite knew whether it was night or

day, it was always blazing hot-I was convinced Zuko had this particular room heated-and we were given bread once a day. I was tied up before being given any water, but the guards were nice enough about it, and their hands never lingered. It was this practice that gave Sokka his initial plan for escape, which he refused to tell me until it was complete.

"You know Zuko still hasn't been to see us?" I realized one evening or morning (judging by the yawns from outside) while shaking Sokka awake.

"What, you call your ex-boyfriend a traitor then expect him to drop by for tea?" he responded with a wide yawn.

I punched him in the arm. "He's _not_ my ex-boyfriend!"

"Then why do you care if he sees us or not?" Sokka yawned again, this one more elongated, but I thought I detected a slight note of jealousy in his words.

Resting my head against the cell wall, I considered for a moment. "If he knows we're people, it'll be harder to hurt us. Distance creates detachment, detachment leads to objectifying those you are detached from."

There was a silence lasting several seconds.

"You never told me about your parents," he said unexpectedly.

My eyes opened and stared at him. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"It has to do with _everything_!" Sokka's face suddenly shifted from the solemn, melancholy expression I was so used to into a childlike enthusiasm. "You're from the Fire Nation, but you look Water Tribe. Why?"

"My mother was from the Southern Water Tribe. She met my father on Whale Tail Island, they fell in love and got married-it was a huge scandal-and had me. Mom disappeared a few years ago, and Dad died fighting in the war." My father had fought for a nation led by tyrants in a war founded on lust for power. Everything I knew was being turned upside-down. But he and Mom loved each other-I knew that much, at least.

"But that's it!" Sokka leaped to his feet and began to pace and, disliking sitting while others stood, I stretched and pulled myself up. "Maybe it won't help us right now, but long-term . . . you have that necklace. It's a necklace your dad carved for your mom, right?" He paused a moment for me to nod. "Nations can coexist! It's the perfect example!"

"Except for the part where they both died?"

His footsteps slowed, and he glanced down. "My mom died in the war, and my dad's off fighting. I don't know if he's dead or alive."

"I'll make a deal with you," I began, wanting to bring a smile back to his face. "My mom's not dead, and neither is yours."

We both stopped and looked at each other then, and I felt a tingle run up my spine-but not the terrified shaking, more of an excited shiver. "Deal," he finally answered.

"Good." In an excessively bold move, I caught Sokka's hand and good-naturedly yanked him to the ground, dropping next to him. "Now you're going to tell me your master plan."

**"All-" His voice cracked, and I hid a grin. "All right then. According to my calculations, we're about three hours from a place called the Seedy Merchants Pier. This ship has to stop there to rest and refuel. The guards haven't come to give us food yet, and I'm willing to bet they'll take care of us once the ship has docked, and once they bring out the water I'll say . . ."**


	10. Chapter 9 - Meeting

As the rope wound around my wrists, I did my best to act natural—except I couldn't quite remember what natural looked like. In the end, I settled for a very blank expression and lack of resistance. Did I often give the guards a hard time? Would sudden compliance make them suspicious?

Sokka was given the usual jug of water, which he slowly drained. Once the last drop of water disappeared, he drew his knees to his chest and let his head rest on them. I barely resisted the urge to burst out giggling, despite the seriousness of the situation. Perhaps it was the seriousness of the situation that overwhelmed me: here we were planning to escape, and the guards had no idea! Oh, yes, there was definitely irony in there somewhere.

I tipped my head back and gulped down the cold, clear water—the only cold thing in this blazing ship. When had I come to prefer cold to hot? It didn't exactly matter, did it? At least not in this moment, when the guards had left the room.

Gagging, Sokka spit the water he had been holding in his mouth out onto the floor, creating a small puddle. I covered my mouth with one hand and coughed. "I still think this is disgusting."

"Saving our lives, remember?"

"Doesn't stop it from being disgusting." Grudgingly, I held out my hands, raised the water to a few inches below my palms-no way I was letting _that_ touch my skin-and sent it flying towards the lock. As drops exploded against the metal, I exhaled and half-closed my eyes, holding my hands out to channel the water vapor in my breath towards the water. Ice spread across the lock, finally encasing it.

"Nice work!" Sokka charged for the lock and brought his hand down it in a karate slice, only to yelp when the ice didn't budge. Rolling my eyes, I cracked the lock open with a slice of one hand. The cell door swung open. Of course, now we were faced with the problem of the heavy door of the room itself, but Sokka had a plan for that, too.

I pulled the cell door shut while Sokka crouched on the other side. "Hey! I need you to get in here, _now_!" I shouted at the top of my lungs in the most imperious voice I could manage. Not a particularly subtle or _good_ plan, but we had very limited resources.

After a few minutes of prolonged caterwauling, the heavy door was shoved open and a very irate guard climbed in. His voice was metallic coming from inside his closed helmet. "Shut up or I'll—"

Sokka smashed him over the head before he could finish the sentence, and ran into the hallway. "It looks like he's the only one on this floor," he reported, "everyone else must be on land."

"Great!" I joined him, my grin freezing when I saw his expression. "What's wrong?"

"If the soldiers aren't here, they're out hunting for my sister and the Avatar," he said quietly. "Katara and Aang are just kids—how can they hide from all these firebenders?"

We had planned to steal a lifeboat and sail a few miles away before landing on the shore and buying passage back to the South Pole. I glanced wistfully towards the left, where lifeboats were stored, and sighed. "Let's go find them."

"What? No! I can't drag you into this!"

"I'm dragging _myself_ into it, thank you very much." Lifting my head, I strode down the center of the corridor, not waiting to see if Sokka followed. After a few seconds footsteps echoed on the metal floor and Sokka reached my side.

Fortunately, we didn't encounter any guards on the way out and thus reached the deck without incident. Even this was deserted, within minutes of leaving the cell—subtracting the time spent getting lost in corridors and lifting a few copper coins from the first guard's armor—Sokka and I found ourselves breathing fresh evening air and standing on land for the first time in days.

"Katara's a waterbender, so they'll probably be camped out near water." Sokka caught hold of my hand and hauled me along the road stretching down the coast. The air was smoky, filled with strange aromas, and dozens of ships lined the dock. Even more stalls were sprawled across the land, brightly colored and stocked with exotic goods and more exotic merchants. Despite the apparent festivity of the market, it seemed to have a dark underside: sacks of coins were slipped under tables and strange items tightly wrapped were returned; a group of men dressed in black talked in hushed tones; and I caught more than one glimpse of sharpened steel. And this was all before I saw Zuko exchanging words with a tall, grizzled pirate on the gangway of a colorful ship.

"Run!" This time I grabbed Sokka and dragged him back through the maze of shops. "I saw Zuko—he was talking to pirates!"

"Pirates? And Zuko? No—" He abruptly halted. "What are you doing?"

"So, how much will it be?"

"Four copper pieces," the woman in the stall answered, handing me a bundle of green fabric. I handed over the coins—which had been stolen from a guard earlier—and gleefully hugged the bundle to my chest.

"What just happened?" Sokka growled as we continued through the market.

"I'm not dressing like _this_ anymore," I responded casually, gesturing to my red jacket and blue leggings. Even in this mismatched marketplace I was drawing looks. "Besides, it was only four copper pieces."

"We're running from a gang of firebenders and pirates and you stopped to go _shopping_?"

"It's called being a girl, Sokka." I led him through the rows of stalls and suddenly the noise stopped and silence began. A forest had sprung up out of nowhere, an unspoiled green landscape with respectably large trees and shrubbery. "According to that nice lady, there's a river just a few miles from here. Your sister and the Avatar may be near there."

The next half hour was spent making our way through the forest until the sound of running water reached our ears, at which point we found ourselves standing before a wide, slow-moving river. Sokka stood at the river's edge and called, "Katara!"

"I'm going to wash up," I announced. Primly sitting, I started to tug at one boot.

"What are you-" Sokka stared at me in disbelief as I finally removed one boot and started on the other.

"Go stand guard behind the bush!" My jacket was the next garment to be unceremoniously dropped to the ground.

"_Stand guard?_ We have a mission, remember? We have to—" He started blushing and quickly glanced away as I pulled my tank top over my head. "I'm going to go stand guard behind the bush."

Stripping off my leggings, I threw them off to the side and leaped into the water. The river was surprisingly warm, and as I watched dirt peel from my skin and move with the current I imagined my pain and confusion going with it. There was no betrayal, no sorrow, nothing but the caress of water against my skin . . . nothing else . . .

I dried myself in moments by waterbending the drops from my skin, hair, and undergarments before redressing in my new clothes. They were Earth Kingdom style: a white long-sleeved blouse buttoned with tiny dark green stones and short, loose green skirt. I braided my hair to the side, and tied my sandals tightly. "Okay, you can come out!"

"It's about time," came a grumble, and Sokka rounded the bush. "Can't believe you—whoa. I—I—" –his voice cracked again, and I kept a solemn exterior— "we should keep going. We've been to the ocean already, and they're not there, so we should go that way." He pointed towards the left.

I shrugged in agreement and fell into step next to him. "Do you hear that rumbling?" I could hear hundreds of thousands of droplets of water smashing into each other, creating a sound so enormous I was sure everyone within ten miles must hear it. Meanwhile, the terrain was transforming from solid dirt to shifting, loose rocks, and our pace slowed.

"Yeah, must be some sort of waterfall, or rapids. I think it's getting loud—ahhh!" He stumbled over one of the larger rocks and fell forward, landing on his knees with his hands hanging over the precipice that had suddenly appeared, from which thousands of tons of water gushed downward into a lake.

I clambered over the rocks and caught hold of his ankles just as his head disappeared from sight. "Sokka! I'm going to pull you up!"

"That would be good!"

Clenching my teeth, I pulled as hard as I could and, with muffled yelps of pain from Sokka, dragged him backwards over the rocks until he was able to stand and quickly back away from the edge. I had already reached the solid ground, and now stood with my arms crossed; Sokka picked his way through the rocks and finally reached me. I drew my hand back and slapped him as hard as I could.

"Ow!" He instinctively brought up one shocked hand to rub his face. "What was that for?"

"Don't ever do that again!" Seizing the front of his shirt with both hands, I shoved him, and slapped him again.

"I—what just—" Sokka stared at me, thoroughly perplexed, and I raised an eyebrow. As if suddenly, irresistibly, drawn together, we began to move-

"Sokka?"

We simultaneously started backwards, swerving to look in the direction of the voice. A girl with light brown skin and dark brown hair, braided down her back with a loop hanging from each temple and attached to her braid, stood at the edge of the trees with a pile of firewood in her arms. Her blue, kimono-like tunic was of the same style as Sokka's, but a more feminine model.

"Katara!" Sokka stammered. "We . . . ah . . . we came to find you!"

"I see," Katara answered coldly. "And who is _we?"_

"Oh! Yes! This is Ayaka. Ayaka, this is my sister, Katara." By now, his composure had gone up in flames, but I could hardly blame him: plenty had happened in the last three minutes that needed processing.

She looked me up and down critically. "Some girl you picked up in the Earth Kingdom?"

"I was a prisoner along with Sokka," I countered icily. "We escaped from Zuko's ship together, thanks for asking. And I'm from—well, that's a little complicated, but I'm certainly not from the Earth Kingdom!"

"Oh my goodness, Sokka!" Katara dropped the firewood and raced to hug her brother, letting him go after a full minute. "I can't believe you escaped! We were so worried! I felt so awful—"

"You did the right thing," Sokka assured her. "Where's Aang?"

It turned out that the Avatar was nothing more than a twelve-year-old kid with a shaved head and blue tattoos. However, there was a certain wisdom in his grey eyes, and he listened to Sokka's story seriously. I also met Momo, a strange large-eared creature, and a strange _large_ creature whose name, I was told, was Appa. I had studied all four nations in school—my one true act of rebellion—so at least I vaguely recognized a winged lemur and sky bison.

"Wait a minute," Aang interrupted Sokka, "Zuko's here? He's looking for us?"

"With the help of some pirates," I added. "I saw them talking next to the pirates' ship."

"That's probably just a coincidence," Sokka decided. "There's no way Zuko could find us here, anyway."

"You found us easily enough!" Katara reminded him. "We should leave as soon as possible. The pirates might be helping Zuko because . . . well . . ."

"We stole a waterbending scroll," the Avatar muttered. Appa grumbled disapprovingly.

"And before you say anything, it was for good reasons!" Katara rounded on her brother, who had already begun protesting. Aang hopped up to hide in the middle of the waterfall. "I need to learn waterbending and so does Aang! So before you—"

"Shut up!" I hissed, listening intently to the forest around us. I could have sworn I heard . . .

"Don't tell me to shut up, you—"

"I heard something! We should all—" My sentence was cut off by a cloud of flame erupting through the small, secluded clearing. The fire was concentrated on the stream, which split the clearing in two. Aang dropped down beside Katara, the edge of his tunic singed, and Appa roared loudly from the other side of the flames.

"Aang, you and Ayaka get to Appa! Katara and I'll—" A net leaped from the darkness and enveloped Sokka, snapping him backwards. A muscular man stepped out from a bush, caught the net, and knotted it shut in one smooth motion. Within moments, Sokka and the pirate had vanished.

"This is bad!" Aang shouted, swiftly dodging a net that came flying towards him. Appa roared again, and the boy leaped over the wall of flame to reach the bison.

"This is good!" I called to Katara as we moved back to back. The noise had stopped, leaving us in total darkness. The waterfall continued to pound, sending spray up onto my outstretched hands.

"How is this _good_?"

"We're not important! They have no reason to—aah!"

**I'm already working on the next chapter, so review and I'll hurry up!**


	11. Chapter 10 - Power

"You're really going to regret this!" The tight ropes cut into every inch of skin as I was dragged over the ground. "Seriously, you should have let someone else capture me, because I'm horrible prisoner! Let me go now so you don't have to deal with me!"

I was answered with a grunt and vicious kick to the upper back, then found myself being unceremoniously dumped onto the dirt, face-down. Struggling upwards, I tipped myself over onto my calves and sat bent double, my head inches from my knees and arms uncomfortably pinioned between my chest and legs. It was impossible to look up, but I could hear rushing water and smell smoke—we must have been beside the river, the main one leading to the ocean.

"What do you mean, two girls? There was only one girl—the Water Tribe girl!"

"Well, there was an Earth Kingdom girl, too. But if _you_ don't want her, I'm sure—"

The net's hold on me suddenly vanished, but before my muscles could begin to sigh in relief strong fingers gripped my chin, forcing me to look up at a very irritated teenage firebender. "You know, you can't just switch clothes every ten minutes and expect me not to recognize you," Zuko growled.

I shoved his hand away and unsteadily climbed to my feet. Zuko spared me a glance, then said to the pirate who had captured me, "The Avatar has left with the bison. Guard the Water Tribe girl and boy and wait for him to return."

As the pirate left, I rapidly absorbed the placement of our confrontation. I stood with my back facing a curved wall of trees, above which the sky was lit only by tiny pinpricks of light. Behind Zuko was the river, and in the sky behind him there was no moon.

"Don't you have something more important to do?" I asked sharply, refusing to waver under the prince's unreadable, unflinching gaze.

"The Avatar will come back for his friends," he answered calmly, taking an almost imperceptible step to the right. I copied his movement, feeling like a mouse being stalked by a panther. "When he does, I'm going to capture him and restore my honor. Then I'm going home."

"Tell Azula I say hi." I planted my feet in the ground, remaining still as a stone as he leisurely moved forward.

"You really think I'm going to just let you go?" I refused to look at Zuko, but could feel his golden eyes narrow. "You called me a traitor."

"_You_ called _me_ a traitor!"

"You _are_ a traitor, remember?"

"And proud of it." There was a pause, then I felt a hand on my shoulder. "Don't touch me!"

The pressure lessened, but did not disappear. "We aren't nine any more, Ayaka. I've been lenient towards you, but don't forget who has control. I am the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation, and you are my prisoner."

"Yeah, I forgot all about that." I raised my right hand to push him away, but he caught my wrist. "Get off me!"

"This is what I'm talking about," Zuko continued, ignoring me. "Don't expect any more lenience. Don't expect me not to punish you for escaping." His grip on my shoulder moved down my arm. "What happened to your burns?"

"What?" He released my wrist to shove the sleeve of my blouse up to my elbow, and held up the arm for me to see. The painful burns had been replaced by a red scar, which covered my lower arm but was faint enough to not be especially eye-catching. "What happened?" I suddenly flashed back to the river-all of that pain melting away . . .

Zuko rolled the sleeve back down. "Even if I wanted to let you go, I couldn't. Waterbenders are to be eliminated if the Fire Nation wants to strengthen its hold on the North and South Pole. Besides, I _don't_ want to let you go in the first place. Now, let's go join your friends and wait for the Avatar."

Wrenching myself free, I bolted to the right and, quickly taking an attacking stance, swung my arm towards Zuko. A wave exploded from the river, pounding down onto the Fire Nation prince. A concentrated blast of fire sliced through the water, and the wave collapsed.

"You really think you can fight me?" Zuko called, lazily sending another few balls of fire in my direction. "How long ago did you start waterbending? The moon isn't even out tonight!" I barely blocked the flames with a hasty shield of water. "Now are you going to walk, or am I going to have to drag-"

"Hasn't that one backfired on you before?" I responded. My hands sent another wall of water towards Zuko, which he easily deflected.

"If you insist on acting like this, I'll have to resort to blackmail." At least he looked serious, not smug. "Would you prefer I threaten you, or your friends?"

"I'd _prefer_ that you stop acting like such a-"

"I'll take that as my thank you for not just turning you over to the pirates." He stood calmly with his arms crossed over his chest, and somehow the calm seriousness of his expression was worse than any smirk or smugness. As I approached, he lifted one hand and reached out, touching my face. "Or maybe I'll take more than thanks?" I remained frozen as his hand moved down my cheek, delicately stroking my jawline, and caressed my neck. My fists clenched as he traced my collarbone, then paused just under the neckline of my shirt. Zuko just barely smiled, and I realized that he was enjoying this power over me, knowing that I couldn't do anything to resist. After several long, long seconds his hand withdrew, leisurely brushing against my skin as it went.

"Tie her up," Zuko ordered as I was shoved forward into the clearing. One of the pirates quickly complied, binding my hands tightly behind my back and pulling me up against a tree. An additional rope tied me to the tree, leaving me unable to fight or even move.

Katara was identically restrained to the tree beside mine. Her hair was pulled loose from her braid, and her kimono-tunic had been ripped from the original slit on the left side. The jagged slash continued from her left leg to the middle of her waist, and inches from the right side of her neckline. A long, bloody scratch ran the length of one arm.

Sokka, on the other hand, had been severely bound and lay face-down on the ground. From what I could see he was covered in bruises, and a pirate's boot rested on his back.

"My men found the scroll on the girl, and there's been no sign of your precious Avatar!" The pirate captain strode across the clearing, clutching a blue-tipped scroll in one hand. "I think we'll be casting off to claim our two hundred gold pieces."

Quick as a viper, Zuko darted forward and snatched the scroll from the pirate's hand, holding it vertically. "Two hundred gold pieces is a lot of money. It's too bad parchment burns so easily . . ." He held a hand under the scroll and firebent a flame that licked the parchment. "If the Avatar doesn't appear in the next hour, take one of the prisoners somewhere visible and kill them."

As the pirate stormed back to his men, I heard a very quiet voice from behind me. "Don't move until my signal. Then run into the woods, we'll meet up back at the docks." The rope pressing me to the tree suddenly loosened, but I inched forward to pull it tight. Quickly glancing over at Katara, I saw that she also had moved forward, something obvious from the side but nearly impossible to notice when viewed from the front. _Until my signal._ What was that supposed to mean?

A gust of wind erupted in the center of the clearing, slamming me back against the tree. Soldiers and pirates alike shouted in surprise, knocked off their feet and onto the ground. I dropped to my knees and crawled under the rope, hands still tied behind my back, and stumbled to my feet. The men were just leaping up as I took off into the forest, tripping over tree roots and listening for footsteps behind me.

The forest echoed with the yells and thumping of men taking off in pursuit. I clasped my hands together, trying to create the illusion that they weren't tied, and ran. After only a few yards I was forced to stop: I couldn't have outrun a grown man even without having my hands tied behind my back. Wildly looking around, I searched for a way of escape-there was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide . . .

"Ayaka!" Sokka appeared from the right, not even breathing heavily from exertion, even though he must have been running. His sword slashed through the ropes around my wrists, freeing my hands. Our eyes met, our hands wrapped around each other, and together we raced through the trees, stopping in places to crouch silently in the shadows while others ran near us before continuing to the docks.

"Where's Katara?" Aang called as the bison circled over us at the very end of the docks.

"I don't know!" Sokka shouted. He quickly brushed a hand over his eyes. "She's my _sister_. I should have found her!"

The bison landed in the water with a heavy splash. I started towards it, but Sokka did not follow. "We need to go now, or Zuko will capture us again and this will all have been for nothing!" _And I can't be Zuko's prisoner. Not now. _

"No," he said decisively, drawing his sword. "I'm not leaving without my sister."

"Sokka, I know how horrible you feel, but if we don't escape we won't be able to help her!"

"I won't leave her alone!" Sokka turned and started back towards the forest.

"Oh, for God's sake—" Taking a step forward, I caught Sokka's shoulder and yanked him backwards. Before he could break free, I grabbed the front of his shirt with both hands and pulled him into a kiss.

**Review, review, review! It is my motivation for life! **


	12. Chapter 11 - Irregular

The bison landed in the ocean, sending water flying everywhere, and I took advantage of the combined opportunity of this and Sokka's speechlessness to drag the Water Tribe teenager into the ocean. One thing I had learned about waterbending was that the water moved naturally if I didn't force it, so I calmly lifted my hands and gently pushed outward, leaning forward. A small wave propelled Sokka and me towards the bison. The Avatar held out his hand and I caught it, grabbing the edge of the saddle with my other hand and climbing up into the saddle. Sokka followed, and the bison immediately took off.

"Uh, what's wrong with Sokka?" Aang looked questioningly at Sokka, who was staring into space with mouth opening and closing soundlessly.

"I think he's in shock," I replied distractedly. Crawling to the edge of the saddle, I gazed down at the land flashing past below. "We're flying! This is amazing!" I half-laughed with delight, carefully rising to my feet to feel the wind whipping against my body.

"You . . . you . . . you _kissed_ me!" Sokka stammered, transferring his gaze from the empty air to me.

I took a shaky step forward, then lowered myself back into a sitting position, legs crossed. "For the record, that was a one time thing. You're welcome."

"Ooh, Sokka finally kissed a girl!" Aang crowed, the lemur chittering on his shoulder. "Katara's going to be so-" He suddenly stopped, glancing around. "Where's Katara?"

All at once, the relief of escape vanished. Sokka bowed his head. "We don't know. She must have been captured."

"Well, we have to rescue her!" The Avatar turned forward and pulled the bison's left rein, but Sokka shook his head.

"If we go back, we'll all be imprisoned. You're the world's only hope, Aang. We can't let the Fire Nation capture you." He rested his head in his hands. "Zuko knows we're going to the North Pole."

Aang did not direct the bison, but clutched the reins tightly. His knuckles turned white. "What are we going to do now? We can't go to the North Pole, Zuko will find us wherever we go . . ."

"There's a Fire Nation base near here," I realized. "Pohuai Stronghold. We learned all about the location of military bases in school."

"Great, more Fire Nation," Sokka muttered. "But how does that help us?"

"Because it's the last place Zuko would expect us to be."

** "**Lady Ayaka," the colonel greeted me, saluting in the Fire Nation style with a bow. I returned his salute with a graceful dip of my head. Protocol indicated that, being a lady of the Fire Nation court and daughter of a general, the colonel of Pohuai Stronghold was of lower rank than myself. "Your father and I were good friends. I offer my condolences for his loss."

"Thank you, Colonel Shinu," I replied. "I'm proud of my father for dying bravely on the field of battle."

"He was a courageous man," he returned. Shinu had been a good friend of my father-I had known him since I was five years old as "Uncle Shinu." Times had changed. "As happy as I am to see you, Ayaka, this is a military base. It's no place for a lady."

"I understand, Colonel, and I'm sorry for coming here like this, but my escorts and I ran into trouble nearby. There was some sort of fight at the nearby pier, and we didn't know where else to go!" True enough. "All I ask is to remain here for no more than a day so I may then continue on to the River Village colony."

Shinu appeared to consider, and said, "But why are you going to River Village in the first place?"

"I . . . ah . . . since my parents are dead, the higher ladies of the court have begun to consider suitors for me. I'm sure you understand that I'd prefer to distance myself from these matters until a betrothal is decided upon."

One of Shinu's men showed my escorts and me to a small, but comfortable, room below the colonel's own lodgings. Once inside, with the door locked, I pulled off the heavy Fire Nation robes worn over my Earth Kingdom clothing. Aang let the hood of his cloak fall to his neck, and Sokka threw his red coat off to the side.

"I can't believe that worked!" Sokka, buckling his sword to his belt, grinned for the first time in hours. "Isn't the marrying age sixteen?"

"Not in the Fire Nation. Our parents decide when we marry, and if parents die we must marry as soon as possible so the palace doesn't have to support us. At least the minimum age is fifteen, unless you've been arranged to marry someone important." Undoing my topknot, I wondered what would have become of me if I had remained at the palace. Married the son of some minor lord, probably, but perhaps my father's position would have guaranteed me a general or admiral three times my age.

"Air Nomads don't have anything like that," Aang said. "We don't have royalty, so it's kind of a marry-whoever-you-want-whenever-you-want rule. After you've turned eighteen, of course."

"Sounds lovely," I replied, combing my fingers through my hair as it fell over my shoulders. "The important thing is what we're going to do _now_. I'll be expected to join the Colonel for dinner, which means we have only until then to plan."

"Okay," Sokka said slowly, wheels turning in his head. "We need a map."

"Got it." Hastily throwing the robes over my head, I opened the door to find a guard standing at attention a few yards away. I hesitantly called out, "Sir?" He turned around. "I'm afraid we need a map to plan our journey to River Village. Could you bring me one, please?"

I graciously thanked the guard when he returned with a map several minutes later, and returned to the room. "We need to go north," I reminded them, spreading the map out on the table, "or the Stronghold will grow suspicious."

"The problem is that there's nothing to the north!" Sokka ran his finger along the map. "Where we really need to go is _here_, to this Earth Kingdom base, but it's far to the south. To the west is the Fire Nation, to the east is the Earth Kingdom, if we go north Zuko will find us, if we go south the soldiers here will doubt us, we can't go west, and in the east there's nothing useful for miles!"

"Maybe we actually could go to the River Village?" Aang suggested. "At least then the soldiers here wouldn't be after us."

"No, but Zuko could easily capture us," Sokka answered.

"Well, why don't we just travel north until we're out of sight of the base then turn around and go to the Earth Kingdom base? It will cost us time, but with the Earth Kingdom's help we could save Katara."

"There, done planning!" Aang blew on the map, sending it flying through the room. Sokka made a fumbling grab for it. "What now?"

"Now I take a nap," I replied, taking a running leap for the couch. Landing on my back, I rolled onto my side and closed my eyes. "I haven't slept for at least twenty-four hours and my eyes are about to fall out. Wake me up before dinner." Ten seconds later, I was shaken awake. "I said before dinner!"

"It _is_ before dinner!" Aang shouted, unsuccessfully trying to drag me off the couch. "Sokka says you have ten minutes."

Immediately I was up and at the door, leaving Aang standing speechless next to the couch. I brushed off my robes and started to put my hair into a topknot. "Where's Sokka?"

"Asleep in the other room. He said he hasn't slept all night so don't wake him up."

"Great," I muttered, and opened the door a millimeter before slamming it shut and whirling on Aang. "And keep your head covered! If they realize you're the Avatar it's all over."

"Yes'm." He was just straightening his hood when I left the room with a cordial nod to the guard.

I slowly walked up the spiral staircase, rehearsing what I would say in my head. My knock on the door was carefully practiced to be nonchalant (two knocks, medium pressure) and smiled automatically when Shinu opened the door. "Ayaka, thank you for joining us." _Us?_ "As you can see, we have another guest at the base."

My smile froze as he moved aside, revealing the other figure sitting at the table.

"It's irregular to have an exiled prince at a military base, Prince Zuko," Colonel Shinu said as I placed my empty rice bowl to the side.

"It's irregular to have a lady of the Fire Nation court at a military base," Zuko replied. His foot nudged mine under the table. I smiled politely and kicked him. "Nevertheless," he continued with a slight wince, "thank you for your hospitality. My men needed to recover after our altercation with a group of pirates."

"I see, but-" A knock at the door interrupted the Colonel, and he rose. "It's time for a raid on the nearby village. We're slowly demolishing their defenses, and before long it will be property of the Fire Nation."

"I was just leaving, anyway," I assured him, also standing. "It's past time I continued my journey."

"Perhaps my men and I could escort you." Zuko watched me as he stood, with a half-smile crossing his face. "We're also traveling north—in search of the Avatar. Actually, I believe we may have run into one of your friends in our travels."

The colonel left the room, and Zuko paused at the open door. "Would you like to discuss the possibility? Of your friend, that is."

My face expressionless, I followed Zuko up the spiral stairs until he opened the door to another room and gestured that I enter. Upon doing so, I found myself in the highest room of the pagoda tower, a small, unfurnished area with two high slits in the wall for windows. Behind me, I heard the door close, and spun to see Zuko fitting a key into the lock. Smirking, he dropped the key into his pocket.

"The Avatar isn't here," I said coldly. "You're wasting your time. Where's Katara?"

"I know the Avatar isn't here. My men have been searching your room, and they've confirmed his absence. I assume he and your Water Tribe friend have run off, leaving you here."

"Good!" Remembering how he had acted at our other encounters, I took the offensive and stepped forward. "You'll never catch him now."

"There's more at stake here than you think!"

"What, more at stake than the future of the world?"

"My _honor_, Ayaka." He suddenly shifted forward, and I suddenly found my back against the wall, the room was so small. "My honor. My country. My throne . . . all of it will be lost if I don't capture the Avatar."

Zuko started forward again, but before he could touch me I punched him in the face as hard as I could. He fell back in surprise and I darted around him to the door. My hand closed around the handle and I shoved the door, but it refused to budge. Spinning towards the recovered firebender, I kicked out at his knee, but he easily deflected the blow, giving me just enough time to return to the opposite wall. Leaping up, I tried to see out one of the slits—to call out—but Zuko caught my waist from behind and shoved me against the wall.

"I _will_ capture the Avatar," he whispered in my ear. "I _will_ reclaim my throne. And when I do, there will be dire consequences for you." His hands slid up my waist to hold me more firmly, and I felt him kiss my neck. "Traitor."

"We used to be friends." I tried to keep my voice steady. "We grew up together, we played together, we went to class and chased turtle-ducks and climbed the palace roofs, always trying to go higher than the other—"

"Always trying to outdo each other . . ." He kissed my skin twice more, each time moving lower. "I could do whatever I wanted with you. I could touch you, hurt you, take you."

"But you won't, because I'm the only thing you have left to remind you of home." I held my breath as his head leaned teasingly against mine, his lips pressing firmly against my neck one more time, and silently sighed in relief as the pressure holding me to the wall disappeared. The lock clicked behind me.

"Come on."

"No." I carefully turned to face him. "I'm not going with you."

"Did I say I needed your cooperation?"

Glaring at him defiantly, I straightened my red robes and breezed past him. Zuko began to close the door, but I shoved him inside the room and slammed it shut. I raced down the stairs, already hearing pursuit, and came out onto the rectangular balcony circling this floor of the pagoda. As Zuko ran out onto the balcony, I bolted to the left and left again until I came to the back of the building, only to see Zuko rounding on me from the opposite direction.

"Sokka!" I shouted, coming to the railing. "Aang!"

The sky remained clear, and the footsteps behind me were coming closer. I scanned the sky desperately, clutching the railing so tightly that my knuckles turned white, and to the left a speck appeared in the darkness. Uncontrollably grinning in relief, I yanked my heavy red robes over my head and let them fall to the floor. My hands swiftly undid my topknot.

My green skirt fluttering around my knees, I climbed up onto the railing and, before needing to worry about gaining my balance, jumped.


	13. Chapter 12 - Captured

"I've got you!" Sokka caught my hands in his and they clutched each other tightly as the bison swooped up into the sky. He braced himself against the saddle and hauled me up to safety, where I promptly collapsed. "I'm so sorry for leaving you. Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, just . . . shaken." I forced myself to sit up and took a tight hold on the edge of the saddle. My other hand unconsciously rubbed the right side of my neck.

He saw the movement, and I saw worry in his eyes. "Did you get burned? Are you hurt?"

"No!" My hands, trembling slightly, settled in my lap. "Like I said, just a bit scared." He looked at me disbelievingly, and Aang twisted around at the front of the saddle to copy his glance. "Honestly! Where are we going?"

"The Earth Kingdom base in the south." Sokka spread the map on the saddle and pointed with one finger. "We don't need to worry about hiding from the Fire Nation soldiers, since flying a bison through the compound was something of a giveaway, and the Earth Kingdom is our best chance for saving Katara."

I nodded. "I'll keep watch."

"No, it's the middle of the night. _You_ are going to sleep," Sokka said sternly.

"I've been asleep all day!" I protested. "If anyone needs sleep, it's Aang. We need the Avatar if we want to convince the general of the base to help us, and _not_ an Avatar who can barely stand!"

"Okay," Aang said grudgingly. "Appa knows how to get to the base, right, buddy?" The bison roared in answer, and the airbender curled up in the saddle and immediately fell asleep, leaving Sokka and me staring out into the darkness.

"I'll keep watch," Sokka volunteered.

"No, _I'll_ keep watch."

"With what? We don't have any water!"

I sighed. He had a point. "Fine, we'll both stay up. I don't think I could fall asleep right now anyway." Unbidden, the image of Zuko surfaced, his hands holding me against the wall. _"I could do whatever I wanted with you."_

Something covered my shoulders, and I cried out and reacted violently, striking out with both hands. Sokka took the blows unflinchingly and watched me in concern. "You were shivering."

The item resting on my shoulders was soft and warm-not a certain firebender. Lifting one hand, I tentatively touched the edge of the blanket, then drew it around me tightly. "Thank you. I thought it was a little cold."

"Right." Instead of pressing me, he gazed out into the darkness. "It's going to be a long night. You should get some sleep."

"Okay," I murmured, half-lying down and resting my head on the edge of the saddle. I tugged the blanket up to rest just beneath my chin, covering my neck. He had kissed me four times, and I could have sworn four distinct patches of skin had caught fire and quietly smoldered beneath the smooth cloth of the blanket.

"We're here!" Aang shouted as the bison circled over an enormous fortress. The compound was a large golden pagoda, this one circular rather than rectangular, surrounded by small gold-roofed buildings. The entire base was surrounded by a large, circular wall. All in all, despite being of similar design, the Earth Kingdom stronghold was far more graceful and beautiful than that of the Fire Nation, and more defensible too, as it was clearly designed to keep others out rather than prisoners in.

"Why aren't they firing at us?" I peered down at the fortress below, but it was still as a lake on a windless day. "This is a military base, and there's an unknown flying object in the sky. Surely they should be attacking!"

"It was Sokka's idea. Since the soldiers were searching your room and we couldn't get to you, he decided we should come by the place early and tell them we'd be back with our friend. General Fong's already waiting for us."

"Oh." _Sokka_ had decided to leave me alone? I tried not to blame him, but anger left a bitter taste in my mouth. "I guess that's good."

Sokka put a hand on my shoulder. "If I'd known about it I never would have—"

"Known about _what?_ I told you, nothing happened!" I shoved the hand away.

"Known that Zuko was at the fortress," he finished quietly.

"What're you two talking about?" Aang began to ask, then broke himself off. "Whoa, Appa! Don't eat him!" Appa, having landed, already had a soldier's head inside his mouth, but grudgingly spit him out. "Sorry! Appa just likes people!"

"Avatar Aang!" A tall, stern-faced man appeared at the door of the pagoda, and began his descent down the steps. Aang leaped off Appa, and Sokka dropped from the saddle. I slid from the bison's back, and Sokka caught me halfway down and lowered me to the ground.

"General Fong," Aang replied, bowing in respect. I forced Sokka's arm, which was still wrapped around my waist, away. "Have you heard anything about Zuko?"

"The prince's ship is near Pohuai Stronghold, but," the general said grimly, "it's moving this way fast. I anticipate he will arrive within the next few hours."

"Only a few hours?" Sokka interrupted. "How are you going to stop him?"

"We are a military base stocked with weapons and soldiers," Fong said. "One Fire Nation ship won't stand a chance. I've already arranged transport for your friend." He gestured to me. "Lady Ayaka."

"What?" we said simultaneously.

"What do you mean, _transport!_" I yelled. Recalling myself, I icily continued, "Excuse my rudeness. I'd like to know what you meant when you said you had arranged transport."

"When the Avatar told me a lady from the Fire Nation court had recently joined him, I assumed that you were a prisoner." His face remained unreadable, as if he had not yet decided which. "A group of my soldiers are prepared to escort you to Ba Sing Se."

"No! I'm not going to Ba Sing Se!" I moved back and laid a hand against Appa, preparing to jump up into the saddle.

"No, she isn't!" Aang stood in front of General Fong, glaring up at him. "Ayaka's our friend. She's staying with us."

"I'm afraid this matter is beyond your control. You may be the Avatar, but you are still a child!" As he spoke, I gripped a large fistful of Appa's fur and began to pull myself up, but something yanked me back down, and suddenly I was unable to move my feet. I glanced down to see earth encasing everything from the knees down.

"Let me go!" I demanded, desperately trying to free my legs. Sokka tried to chop at the ground with his sword, but it had hardened to resemble stone.

"Fire Nation citizens on Earth Kingdom land are to be imprisoned. This goes doubly for nobles." He looked at me, not unkindly, and continued, "You will be placed under house arrest in the house of a lord in Ba Sing Se and treated well. Should it serve the nation's interests, you may even be married to a noble of the Earth Kingdom."

"But—I'm not Fire Nation! I'm not a firebender, I'm not dressed Fire Nation, I don't look Fire Nation—"

"You were born and live in the Fire Nation. You are a member of the Fire Nation court," the general went on relentlessly. "Your father was a general of the Fire Nation army."

"We're not letting you kidnap her!" Sokka stepped in front of me, holding his sword in his right hand. "Do you really want to contend with the Avatar?"

"Don't try to resist arrest, or we won't help you rescue your captured friend. The ship will burn." Fong looked directly at Sokka. "Drop your sword."

There was a long, tense pause, then Sokka slowly lowered his sword arm. Aang strapped his staff onto his back. "Okay," the boy said angrily. "But we're coming back for her once Katara has been rescued!"

"Escape attempts will be met with cruel retribution for the prisoner in question." General Fong waved over a few of his men, who took up positions on either side of me, then dropped a hand, releasing my legs. I nearly collapsed from the sudden weight, but quickly regained my balance.

"We'll come to Ba Sing Se and talk to the Earth King!" Sokka called as the soldiers led me away. "Don't worry!"

The soldiers took me to a carriage on the far side of the base, just beyond the wall. I glanced back to see the enormous gates slamming shut. Even as I climbed into the carriage, I debated escape—but the soldiers were both barefoot and muscular, making it more than possible that they were earthbenders. Besides, ordinary soldiers could have caught me.

The carriage was nice enough. I love carriages, especially red ones with golden trim. This carriage was painted dark green, with the golden Earth Kingdom insignia stamped on both doors and green curtains covering the windows. Outside, I could hear the soldiers talking as the ostrich-horses hooked up to the carriage began the long walk to Ba Sing Se.

"There's a silver lining, at least," I said aloud to the empty carriage. "I wasn't particularly eager to run into Zuko."


	14. Chapter 13 - Escape

I hadn't been outside in three weeks and it was driving me insane.

The guards brought me food and water, but the curtains were drawn at all times and the carriage doors securely locked. Any attempts to make conversation were politely rebuffed, and since the carriage never stopped I had to curl up on the seat and go to sleep when I felt tired. Every day I was given a large bucket of water to wash, but with the locked doors and my bare knowledge of waterbending I couldn't use it for anything besides washing.

By far, the most momentous part of my journey was its end. I was asleep at the time, so the carriage's abrupt halt knocked me off the seat and onto the floor. I scrambled to my feet and straightened my clothes, and was just patting down my braid when the doors swung open.

"They didn't tell us she was a so young!" a female voice exclaimed. I squinted into the sudden brightness, which was blinding after three weeks of muted sunlight, and my eyes adjusted to see a slim woman, her dark hair piled onto her head and tied with an ornamental flower, standing in front of the doors. She wore elegant, expensive robes of brown tones and a green necklace with matching green earrings and rings. "How old are you, child?"

"I'm fifteen," I answered cautiously, carefully descending from the carriage.

"Fifteen! I swear—well, dear, I am Mrs. Beifong. And you must be Ayaka?" At my nod, she chimed, "My daughter, Toph, is twelve, but I'm afraid she has very delicate health. She's _blind._ Perhaps you two could enjoy each other's company during your stay here?" Mrs. Beifong nodded to the guards. "I'm afraid General Fong says the soldiers must remain on these grounds at all times, so they'll escort you in."

The two silent earthbenders led me through the estate, which was surrounded by an enormous white, green-tipped, wall. Even in the twilight, expansive gardens were visible to the left, but I was brought forward into a courtyard. The main building was a large, green-roofed pagoda, with four smaller pagodas standing nearby and trees scattered throughout. The guards halted at the doors of one of the smaller pagodas, the one directly against the wall, leaving me to enter. The inside was as beautiful and fancy as without, but my focus was on the girl sitting in the chair beside the window.

Between her expensive white gown and simple green jewelry, it was obvious that the pale, dark-haired girl was Toph Beifong. As she turned towards me, I saw that her green eyes were very light and clouded. "Are you the Fire Nation lady?" Toph asked. "I was told we would be sharing my room."

"I'm Ayaka." I jumped when the doors shut behind me, and saw Toph smirk. Something about the blind girl's smugness lit a fire within me. "They captured me three weeks ago, and I've been traveling to Ba Sing Se ever since. Do you know any ways off this estate?"

The girl quietly folded her hands in her lap and her expressing transformed to one of docility. "I don't know anything about leaving the estate. I've never _wanted_ to leave, and even if I did, I'm blind." Even as she spoke there was a little spark of impatience in her face. Toph's bare foot tapped against the ground. A little part of my mind whispered that earthbenders didn't wear shoes.

I sighed and glanced around the room. A large green bed was resplendent against one wall, and a makeshift cot present beside it. "Well, I've been asleep all day so there's no chance I'm going to bed. Is there anything you're doing tonight?"

Toph hesitated for a long moment, and I waited patiently. Finally, she whispered, "Can you keep a secret?"

"Hey!" one of the boys in the row above me called.

"Hey," I called back. I heard one of the boy's friends wolf-whistle.

The entire cavern shook, hundreds of fans cheering, as a shape dropped from the ceiling and slammed into the arena. "I'm Xin Fu, your host, and welcome to _Earth Rumble VI_!" The crowd exploded.

Two contestants, the big burly sort, were starting to chuck rocks at each other in the arena when I felt someone nudge my shoulder. "I'm Mikio."

"Ayaka," I returned.

Apparently, Mikio had climbed down from the row above, and was now sitting beside me. He was cute, with spiky black hair and brilliant green eyes-definitely my type. He wore a dark green vest and black pants. "Ayaka? That's an unusual name. Rooting for anyone tonight?"

"Actually, my friend's competing. It's my first Earth Rumble."

"No way! The rules are pretty simple. One earthbender knocks the other over the side of the ring, the winner gets the Earth Rumble belt and fifty gold coins."

"Sounds fun." There was a roar from the crowd as a man was slammed into the ceiling and smashed back into the ground. "Do you live in Gaoling?"

"No, my family's from Omashu. We're here on vacation. You?" '

"I don't live here, I'm just visiting a friend for a few days." We both threw our arms up to block the particles of rock flying through the stands.

"So, where do you live? It would be cool if we could-"

"Hey! Lady! We've gotta go!" Toph tugged on my arm. "Come on!"

I smiled apologetically. "Some other time." Mikio gazed after me as I was dragged through the stands. Toph earthbent a doorway in the wall-apparently the only way out of the underground arena-and we somehow ended up on the surface, a mile from Gaoling.

"Did you win?" I realized, seeing the belt fastened around Toph's waist.

"Yeah," Toph replied. "We got here late, but I was in time for the last round, and the guy was a pushover. Who were you talking to?"

"An old friend. Well, not _old_—we've known each other for a few hours. What?" I said defensively. "I've been stuck in a carriage for three weeks!"

"Speaking of which, are we going home?" Toph turned to face me, and her expression was distinctly expressionless.

"Of course not! We're going—" I paused, thinking. "I don't know where we're going. The Earth Kingdom is after me, and so is the Fire Nation. What else is there?"

"The Fire Nation is after you? What—never mind. Well, what about Ba Sing Se? We'll blend in fine."

"Wait a minute—what do you mean, _we?_" I rounded on the younger girl. "_You_ have a life to get back to! What about your parents?"

"My parents don't understand me," she said softly. "I'm the best earthbender in the world, but they don't know that, and they never can. I want to go into the world, and have adventures, and fight!"

"Please, Toph. Please go back—for me. I want you to be safe!"

"You sound just like them," she muttered mutinously. Turning, Toph stamped one foot onto the ground and sped away, not even lifting her feet from the earth.

"Toph! Wait! Come back!"

She didn't answer.

I looked back towards the city. Why didn't I just go back and let my guards take me to Ba Sing Se? But no, something told me that escape would be impossible if I returned now. Mountains loomed beyond the walls, and somehow the sight gave me strength. The sun was hours from rising, and surely they wouldn't even look for me until morning. On the other side of the mountains was my escape.

It took three days to reach the village—two in the mountains and one just walking around, looking for some sign of civilization. I walked through deserted battlefields, with discarded armor lying in clumps and weapons half-buried in the dirt. In some places swarms of flies clustered over rotting flesh, but I looked away. Dust crawled into my throat and settled there, and I considered eating the vermin fighting behind boulders.

At last, the silhouettes of houses appeared in the distance and I found myself in a small, seemingly deserted farming village. A man stood behind a stall of some sort, wiping sweat from his forehead, and a group of five soldiers played a raucous game of dice.

Tensely moving past the soldiers, I came up to the stall. "Can I have some food and water?"

"Have you got any money?"

Close to tears, I desperately fished around in the pocket of my skirt. There had to be something, anything . . . my fingers closed around something hard and smooth. Toph's jewelry! She had given it to me so she could change! I triumphantly pulled it out of my pocket. "Food and water, please?"

The man whistled. "What're you, some sort of princess?"

I shoved one of the earrings over the counter and stowed the remaining earring and necklace into my pocket. "How much will this buy me?"

I ended up with a leather pack, several loaves of bread, three large jugs of rice, one cup of jook, one filled waterskin, wooden spoons, a heavy green coat-oh, and an ostrich-horse. Apparently it was a good earring.

As I loaded my pack onto the ostrich-horse, there was a loud cough behind me. I ignored it, strapping the pack onto the ostrich-horse's back and removing the waterskin, and hanging my waterskin diagonally across my body. Something touched my shoulder, and I quickly climbed up onto the ostrich-horse before glaring down—_down_, mind you—at the soldiers. "Can I help you with something?"

One of the soldiers, a big man with two hammers hanging from his belt, said, "We heard that you have quite a bit of money on you."

"A friend gave me some of her possessions," I answered coldly. I jerked on the reins, but the soldier caught the ostrich-horse's bridle.

"Well, it seems to me that a girl your size doesn't need that much money. Care to . . . _donate_ any of it to the Earth Kingdom army?" He reached for my pack, but I slid it onto the other side of the ostrich-horse.

"You're really going to rob a _girl my size_?" I quipped. The soldier's face turned red, and his hand moved to hold the handle of his hammer. I felt movement on my left, and spun to see one of his cronies unhooking the straps of my pack. "Get away from me!"

"Where do you think she's keeping the money?" The leader wondered aloud.

Forcing myself not to panic, and feeling a hand wrenching the pack away while another crept up my ankle, I slipped my own hand into my waterskin.


	15. Chapter 14 - The Swamp

The lead soldier looked up and got a faceful of water, knocking him backwards. I lifted my arms and moved my hands in a clockwise direction, smashing the rest of the soldiers. Their grips on me disappeared, and I slapped the reins against the ostrich-horse's back. He took off.

I leaned forward and clung tightly to the ostrich-horse's neck as he ran, so fast that the world around us turned into a blur. Perhaps he had been just as spooked by the soldiers as I was. At any rate, he just kept running and running, even when I tugged on the reins and yelled for him to stop. Finally, I yanked on the reins as hard as I could and held them there until the ostrich-horse came to a halt.

Sliding off the ostrich-horse, I was surprised to feel mud beneath my feet in contrast to the thin, arid dirt of the plains. I opened my eyes—they had been closed for the duration of the trip due to terror—and blinked, seeing that an entirely different landscape had appeared. We were surrounded by a thick layer of vegetation, and despite this being the middle of the day the ground was spotted with shadows because of the net of trees above.

I stepped forward and shuddered when my foot sank into the mud. Not forest—swamp. I was in the middle of a swamp. "At least," I thought aloud, "I'll have no trouble finding water."

The ostrich-horse whined and scraped his clawed foot against the ground. "I have to stop calling you ostrich-horse," I told him. "How about . . . Juno." Juno didn't look overly impressed. "Stop looking at me like that! And . . . I'm talking to an ostrich-horse. Look at the bright side: there aren't any crazed firebenders chasing me."

"Not any more, anyway." I spun towards the voice. Zuko was standing a few feet away, arms crossed.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Instinctively I raised my hands and water hovered beneath them, pulled directly from the ground.

"Following you, what does it look like?" He casually walked to one of the large rocks scattered throughout the small clearing and leaned against it. I studied him closely, not dropping my guard-it was just that he looked _different_. Instead of his ponytail he had short, shaggy hair, and his face was . . . relaxed. Happy, even. His armor had transformed to a brown-gold vest, with a simple red shirt underneath and similar red pants.

"Why? Why do you keep following me?"

"Because I want to apologize." Zuko? Apologize? "For all the . . . you know." He flushed red and glanced down. "I was a different person then. I was at the most confusing and difficult part of my life. Now I can see what you did so long ago: the Fire Nation is destroying the world, and we need to save it."

I lowered my hands, but kept the water circling my fingertips. "Why should I believe you? It isn't like you've given me any reason to think that you're anything more than an evil, out-of-control banished prince."

"Haven't I done enough in the last few weeks?" Zuko stepped away from the rock and gazed at me intently. "I've abandoned my old way of life-I'm entirely committed to this mission!"

"Okay," I said cautiously. "I honestly don't know what you're talking about."

"Really?" He took three quick steps, touched my face with one hand, and pressed his lips to mine. Startled, I struggled against his hold but the firebender seemed completely unaware. After a few seconds, of fighting back, I unconsciously responded, tentatively placing my arms around his neck and tilting my head to kiss him back. The hesitance turned to something else entirely as we kissed—

Suddenly Zuko was no longer warm and his lips no longer soft. I opened my eyes and shrieked: Zuko had turned into a tree.

_Okay_, I reasoned, backing away, _he can't have turned into a tree!_ No, it had to be a tree to start with. I had been hallucinating. From swamp gas. Swamp gas was a thing, right? Yes, of course, it had to be!

Just a . . . hallucination. "Right, then," I muttered, straightening my blouse-which wasn't even askew—and patted Juno on the neck. He clucked and snapped his beak.

Sighing, I took Juno's bridle and led him through the swamp, gingerly stepping over half-rotted creatures and puddles of stinking mud. The footing was treacherous enough that I couldn't just ride the ostrich-horse out, and anyway, no one would think to look for me in a swamp. I saw no living creatures, yet the chattering and screams of wild animals were mind-shatteringly audible at all times. Within a few hours, I was exhausted, muddy, and severely shaken. The monster leaping out from the trees nearly gave me a heart attack. What monster? Oh, right.

An enormous, hulking shape burst through the trees and vegetation, towering over me. Its body was dozens of thick vines wrapped around each other, and a wooden, mask-like face glared at the ground. Dropping Juno's bridle, I screamed in fright and the ostrich-horse bolted.

"Wait a minute." A slow, ponderous voice echoed through the trees. Suddenly, the entire monster dissolved into a pile of vines. As I watched, trembling from surprise and exhaustion, a small, grey-haired man climbed out. He wore nothing more than a skirt made of leaves.

"Who—how?"

"I'm Huu," the man replied in his gravelly voice. "What's your name?"

"Ayaka."

"This is the Foggy Swamp," Huu continued.

"Well, it's certainly foggy and swampy," I muttered.

Huu laughed good-naturedly, and said, "What're you looking for, Ayaka?"

"Sorry? I'm not _looking_ for anything."

"People come to the Foggy Swamp when they want to find something," the half-naked man intoned. "Even if they don't know they're looking." I looked at him, severely confused, and Huu smiled. "Have you seen anything strange today, Ayaka?"

"I . . ." Vividly recalling the events of a few hours earlier, I blushed. "Sort of. I guess. But I _definitely_ wasn't _looking_ for it!"

"The Swamp teaches us that time is an illusion. Past, present, future-it shows us what we miss most, our deepest regrets, all of the things that make us happy but so very sad. In some cases," he said slowly, "it shows us our futures. Not the one that's coming, necessarily, but a possibility."

"So—that might happen?"

"Perhaps." Huu shrugged. "Time is an illusion, Ayaka. An illusion that our minds choose to accept so we don't realize that anything can happen, any future is possible, nothing is set in stone."

"People can't change like that," I contradicted. "_He_ couldn't change like that."

"No one truly changes. We're all born with the same grains of good and evil that make us human. Yin and Yang are in constant battle within us. Sometimes one becomes stronger than the other, but we are never entirely corrupted."

"Great. That's helpful." I tiredly wiped the back of my hand against my forehead and fixed my gaze on Huu. "_Can_ you help me with something?"

He didn't hesitate. "Yes."

"I want to find my friends," I told him. "They're somewhere in the Earth Kingdom, but I don't know where. Would it be possible for you to . . ."

Huu nodded. "Close your eyes."

I hesitantly did so, and something _changed_. When I opened my eyes, I found myself staring at the trunk of an enormous banyan tree, the sun beginning to set behind it. As the first rays of sunlight dipped below the horizon, green lights appeared in the leaves of the tree, wrapping around its limbs and merging into gold, and green, an endless tapestry of color.

"It's like the cavern in the South Pole!"

"Look into the light," Huu said. I obeyed and focused on one of the dancing emerald lights, which shimmered in the very center of the display. Shapes began to form within the light, familiar shapes, and I unconsciously moved forward and raised a hand to touch it—

Three voices shouted in unison as I suddenly found that I was standing on stone instead of dirt, and the air smelled of lavender, not swamp. I swerved wildly in all directions-Katara, Sokka, and Aang were scattered around me, and they were staring at me in disbelief.

"What the—" Aang's exclamation of surprise was cut off by—

"Ayaka!" Sokka rushed forward and caught me in a hug. I returned his embrace, but he suddenly moved back, keeping hold of my lower arms. "How did you escape?"

"A blind earthbender helped me break out then I somehow ended up in a magic swamp and Huu said . . ." I realized that they were staring again. "Where are we, exactly?"

"In an Abbey in the northern Earth Kingdom," Katara said. "The nuns are letting us stay here until tomorrow. We were going to Ba Sing Se, afterwards, but now . . ." She glanced accusingly at Sokka.

"Zuko's been chasing us up the coast," Sokka explained apologetically. He released my arms and sat against the wall. "We had to keep going north or he would have caught us. Since you're back, we can go to the North Pole!"

I discerned one key piece of information: "Zuko's here?"

"His ship is a few miles from the Abbey, but it had to stop for the night, so we have time. We need to leave right at dawn." Aang poked the fire—which I had only just noticed—with a stick, making the flames dance higher. For the first time, I realized that it was night, and the fire was the only light source.

"Why don't we just leave now?" I countered. "We'll get a head-start and hide somewhere in the north."

"Appa's too tired," Aang told me. "We've been trying to outfly Zuko all day."

"So, we're basically sitting turtle-ducks." I slumped down onto the stone floor of the little room and leaned my back against the wall, beside Sokka. "At least I can get some sleep without worrying about falling off a mountain."

"That's the spirit!" Aang said cheerily.

"We should all get some sleep," Katara reminded us. "Tomorrow's going to be a long day." She shot me a look as she lay her blanket out on the floor-somehow, I had the feeling she didn't like me.

Aang set out his blanket, too, but Sokka and I remained sitting against the wall. "I'll stay up," he whispered.

"No, _I'll_ stay up," I whispered back. We both smiled and I closed my eyes.


	16. Chapter 15 - Just Great

My head rested against something warm, and the air was pleasantly cool and clear, but I didn't want to open my eyes because I was so tired . . . I propped my eyelids up and froze as I realized what I rested on. Sokka and I still leaned against the wall, upright, but at some point in the night he had put his arm around me and I had instinctively moved closer and dropped my head onto his shoulder. This was the position I found myself in when a loud, embarrassed cough woke me up.

"It's a few minutes to sunrise," Aang whispered. "We need to get going."

"Wait!" I carefully lifted Sokka's arm and slid out, praying that he didn't wake up. "Okay, you can get him up now."

Katara—pausing a moment to glare daggers at me—stood over Sokka and vengefully kicked him in the stomach. He yelped and doubled over in pain, eyes wide. "What was _that_ for!"

"We have to go," she growled, turning on heel and stomping out the door. Sokka looked around, bewildered, and I stared at the ground, feeling heat rush to my face. I'd never been particularly boy-crazy—especially not compared to Ty Lee—but now I was being thrown into all of this drama! Sometimes life just isn't fair.

"Come on!" Aang called from outside. "The ship is moving!"

We hurried through the doorway. Katara was already in Appa's saddle, and Aang tossed up the last pack before jumping 30 feet and landing next to her. Sokka quickly boosted me up and climbed up after me. A dozen nuns stood around the courtyard watching us curiously as Aang called, "Yip yip!" and the bison leaped into the air.

Holding the edge of the saddle tightly, I leaned over the side and gazed towards the south. Sure enough, an iron ship grew in size as it steadily moved towards us, trailing a cloud of smoke. "How are they gaining on us?"

"We don't know," Sokka said. We still couldn't look at each other. "They just keep coming and coming."

"There's only a thin strip of land between here and the Northern Ocean." Katara spread a map over the saddle and pointed. "We can fly over that while Zuko has to circle all the way around."

Appa jerked to the right and suddenly we were flying over land, not ocean, The map floated up but Katara and I made a desperate grab for it simultaneously, both of us ending up with a side. She glared at me and tugged on it. "Let go."

I began to release, and then gripped it tightly. "No! Why do you hate me?"

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" she growled.

"You know exactly what I mean!" Small rips began to form in the parchment. "Ever since we met you've been nothing but hateful towards me. I want to know why!"

"Excuse me if I didn't expect my brother to come back from Fire Nation prison with a Fire Nation girlfriend!" The bit of map I was holding ripped away from the rest of the world, throwing both Katara and me backwards. Katara looked equally shocked as myself and Sokka. "I . . ."

"Incoming!" Aang yelped. A giant flaming boulder flew towards us from below, and Appa tucked his tail in and free-fell to duck under it. Another followed, which Appa narrowly avoided. "Faster, Appa!"

The bison roared and suddenly we were zooming through the sky with the ocean fast receding in the distance. The ocean, and Zuko's ship. "Are we safe?" I asked, shaken.

"They can't catch up to us now," Sokka said confidently. "One of the drawbacks of having a ship." He abruptly stopped as we flashed back to what had occurred moments earlier and turned towards Katara.

The Water Tribe girl suddenly looked very small and very young. She hugged her knees close to her chest and rested her head on them. "_You_ had _her_," she said quietly. "_She_ had _you_. I didn't have anyone." Sokka tried to speak, but Katara lifted her head, eyes flashing. "You looked for _her_, not me, when the pirates were after us! You saved _her_."

There was a long silence. "I'm so sorry," Sokka whispered, but his sister turned away. Her eyes faced the ocean on the other side of the land, but didn't seem to truly see it.

Suppressing guilt, I also gazed over the side of the bison. Something occurred to me that had been gnawing at the edge of my mind for weeks, trying to break down its barriers. "Sokka? Zuko mentioned slavery when we were on the ship. What was he talking about?"

"Slavery's been a part of the war since the beginning." Why did he sound so puzzled? "Anyone who resists the Fire Nation is forcibly enslaved, and sometimes they just take away entire villages. Anyone in the wrong place at the wrong time is captured. Men are taken for labor, women for pleasure, children as a future investment—it's an enormous industry in the Fire Nation, and even in the Earth Kingdom. That's why we were so worried when the Earth Kingdom took you: nobles caught on the opposite side are either enslaved, or forced to marry so they can't return—which is basically the same thing."

"No, it can't be." Even as I spoke, the little things in my life flashed into my mind. The children who carried water into the palace and garbage out . . . the Fire Lord's "lower" harem . . . there had always been places in town where my father closed the curtains of the carriage and my mother stared at the floor, her face a strange mixture of sorrow and guilt.

"Why are you bringing this up now?"

"Nothing better to do," I muttered. By now we had flown past the land and were now over the open ocean. "Where is the Northern Water Tribe, anyway? I can't see anything but ice ahead." The bison zoomed over the water, and the air suddenly grew noticeably colder.

"No one really knows," Katara said, seeming to come out of her trance. "The Water Tribes haven't been in contact for decades." She opened one of the packs and withdrew two heavy blue coats, tossing one to Sokka. They both pulled the garments over their heads. I reached into the bag I had bought in the Plains Village and removed my own jacket, which was a dark green. The cloth was nothing compared to their heavy furs, but I buttoned it all the way up my front anyway. It was better than nothing.

"Why not?" I asked, trying to fit the last dark green button through the slot.

"It's not exactly 'second iceberg to the left.' The North Pole is on the opposite end of the world!" She glanced over the side. "Or the South Pole is on the opposite end of the world." Katara shivered, and I realized that she was even further from home than I was.

"We're officially at the North Pole, guys!" Aang called. He sat at the very front of the saddle, holding Appa's reins. "I think. It's cold and there's lots of ice, but I don't see any waterbenders."

"We don't see firebenders, either," Sokka reminded us. Katara glared at him. "What? Trying to see the bright side here!"

We fell into silence, and I searched my mind for something to talk about. There was the fight with the ship—but Katara probably wouldn't appreciate having her trauma brought up. After a few minutes I gave up on finding a topic of conversation and instead rested my head against the edge of the saddle, letting my hand dangle in the open air.

"You know," I murmured dreamily after a few hours, not really paying attention, "I think you put your arm around me last night."

"W-what?" He was half-asleep, too, but was shocked awake. "I don't know what you're—" his voice cracked "—talking about."

"And your voice cracks when you're nervous." My eyes lazily opened and closed. "It's cute."

"Aw, he's blushing!" Katara chimed in, sounding noticeably happier. "Maybe we should—"

A thick tendril of water erupted from the ocean and wrapped around one of Appa's paws, yanking him down. The bison roared and flew up, but his three other paws were quickly restrained, and he splashed down into the ocean. Water surrounded me on all sides from the force of Appa's weight against the ocean, sending salt spray up into my face. There was a shriek from the right, and a yelp ahead of me; I felt a freezing substance coil around my body, pinning my arms to my sides and legs together. Then I was suspended in the air and zipped backwards so quickly that my head spun.

My feet hit solid ice, the bonds around my torso and legs disappeared, and suddenly I couldn't move my hands. "You're under arrest, by order of Chief Arnook of the Northern Water Tribe," a firm voice said from behind me. I tried to move my fingers and found that something cold and hard encased my hands behind my back—ice.

"I'm traveling with the Avatar," I stated calmly, taking care not to move. "We are not your enemies."

"This one's Earth Kingdom," one of the tribesmen told the other. "Tell the messenger."

"For God's sake—judge a book by its cover much? I'm Fire—" Biting back my words, I inwardly cursed. What was wrong with me, that I retained this pride for my nation? No, not _my_ nation, the enemy! The icy bonds tightened around my wrists. "No, I'm not—it's not like—"

"Shut up!" The second voice was younger, but harsher. Something sharp poked me in the back, easily slicing through my jacket and shirt. Searing pain erupted in my upper back, and I couldn't stifle a small cry of pain as blood trickled down my skin.

"That's enough, Takeo!" The younger warrior began to protest, but subsided into sullen silence. "Chief Arnook will deal with these strangers, _not you_."

_These people are on our side_, I reminded myself, but that was difficult to remember when I felt the icy sting of Takeo's sword against my back as the older warrior waterbent our plate of ice through the pillars of shining ice towards the east. I kept my head up, eyes staring straight ahead, refusing to show any fear. When the city came into view, however, my eyes widened.

An enormous wall of ice loomed above us, stretching as far as the eye could see, but a section of the ice was cut away in a half-circle. In this gap a city built entirely of ice had been built, the symbol of the Water Tribe engraved in the smooth wall surrounding the city.

My hands clenched tightly behind my back. The warriors were better fighters than me, but I had the element of surprise . . .

In one smooth motion, I dissolved the ice encasing my hands and savagely kicked backwards, catching Takeo in the knee. He went down with a shout, and I twisted, slashing my arm through the air to send a blast of water from the ocean into the older waterbender. He redirected it, and suddenly I saw—

"You were out for a long time," someone said. I opened my eyes to see Katara leaning over me, uncharacteristically concerned. "Don't try to get up; the healer came by to fix your back and head, but you'll be dizzy for a few minutes."

"I can handle it," I assured her, sitting up-only to slam into the ground. "Okay. I can't handle it. Where are we?"

"Prison." Katara tapped her fingers—I noticed that her hands were tied—against the ground, eliciting a series of small thumps. "It's the only place in the North Pole made of stone, since it's meant to contain waterbenders."

"Lovely." Propping myself up with my hands-I noticed that _my_ hands were tied—I slowly turned my head to survey the stone cell. "Where's Aang and Sokka?"

"They're talking to the Chief. Apparently we _girls_ aren't important enough to make our case." The last sentence was spoken with obvious disgust, which I shared. "Besides, they think you're Fire Nation."

"Great," I groaned. "I've figured out why people don't leave the Fire Nation: the rest of the world isn't exactly supportive."

At that moment, the sturdy stone door slid open and a young man entered. He gripped my collar with my left hand and pulled me to my feet, dragging me towards the door. After a few stumbling steps, I planted my feet in the ground and refused to move. "I can walk by myself!"

"Shut up, Fire Nation scum." I definitely recognized the voice.

"I'm not your enemy!" Takeo jerked on my collar again, but this time my jacket and shirt, already protesting having been sliced open from shoulderblades to my lower back, ripped completely open. Feeling fire rush to my face, I quickly moved my tied hands up to clutch the back of my jacket, keeping it from falling off.

Just _great_.


	17. Chapter 16 - The Invasion

"The Avatar and the representative of the Southern Water Tribe have explained the situation." Chief Arnook, a dark-haired man with a stern face, leaned forward on his throne, face intent. On his right sat a lean old man, to the right a lovely young woman, dressed in fine purple furs with her silver hair arranged in an elaborate braid. "Including your unique . . . predicament."

"I don't see what the big deal is," I replied. "I left the Fire Nation, I don't have any important information or connections." I glanced down at my blue furs. "I don't even _look_ Fire Nation!"

"The problem is that we're fighting a war," Arnook thundered.

"The problem is that we're _losing_ a war," the old man next to him corrected. The chief inclined his head slightly, indicating the man's dominance over the room. Having lived in court all my life I was more familiar with politics than the average fifteen-year-old. Clearly, the old man was some kind of master and the chief's most trusted advisor. "At this point, we need every weapon at our disposal."

"Ransom?" Chief Arnook inquired. Both men seemed to have forgotten I was in the room. "How much would the Fire Lord pay for the daughter of his dead general?"

"Excuse me?" I attempted.

"I'm sure a lord would be happy to give us plenty for her hand in marriage," the old man mused. "In either the Earth Kingdom or Fire Nation the promise of her influence is worth at least—"

_"Hey!" _Both men finally turned to look at me. "I feel like I should have some say in this!"

"Lady Ayaka, a woman's place in this world is to be married," Arnook said condescendingly. "My own daughter, Princess Yue, was betrothed on her sixteenth birthday." He waved a hand at the young woman.

"Well, I'm not sixteen yet, so—"

"Other nations are less . . . _stringent_ when it comes to marrying age." He cleared his throat uncomfortably, clearly not completely okay with the idea of selling off a fifteen-year-old girl. That was some consolation. "Until we have made a decision, you will be staying with Princess Yue in her pre-marital home." He signaled the guards.

I forced myself to remain silent, but couldn't resist one last glance at the princess. She kept her blue eyes fixed on the ground, even as her father and his advisor rose and moved into another room connected to the temple. Suddenly Yue closed her eyes tightly, reopened them, and gracefully crossed the room.

"You may go," she told the guards, and with only brief hesitation they bowed and departed. Yue smiled at me warmly. "Your name is Ayaka? I am Yue."

"Yes," I answered cautiously. Then, with more confidence— "Random question: do you know any ways out of this city?"

"I've never left the Northern Water Tribe."

"Oh, that's-" I froze and did a double-take. "You've _what?"_

She looked at me questioningly. "Of course I've never left the tribe. I'm the princess. My duty is here."

"Still—_nothing?_ No trips to a village, or visiting some kind of iceberg, or . . ." I trailed off as she shook her head. "Sheesh. I'm glad I'm an honorary member of the _Southern_ Water Tribe." I shuddered, and realized: "Where are my friends?"

"They're staying in one of the different sections of the city," Yue informed me. "I'm sorry, but I don't believe you can see them."

"Lovely," I muttered. "What _can_ I do, exactly?" With another smile, the princess led me through the door of the temple to the balcony surrounding the entirety of the level. I was vividly reminded of Pohuai Stronghold for a moment, but the thought fell away when I looked upon the view below.

The sun had set long ago, and the nearly-full moon dominated the sky, its light reflected in the pillars of ice in the distance. The stars were far clearer here than anywhere else in the world, and they appeared to be tiny specks of ice suspended on a velvet cloth. Below us, the deliberate river of the city seemed almost to shine with a light of its own, a light that spread to every inch of the city until the ice itself gleamed.

"This doesn't answer my question," I reminded her after a few seconds of absolute awe. Gazing down at the glimmering river, I encouraged myself to smile. "Let's go to your rooms, and everything will look better in the morning when the sun rises."

"That's Fire Nation philosophy," Yue observed. "Here, we believe that the night brings good fortune."

"Well I'm certainly not having any good fortune tonight, so my bet is on the morning."

She laughed and started to tell me of various activities on our way to her little house. Later, fast asleep under layers of blankets, we didn't know that the beautiful ice was being dusted with a layer of black snow.

"What's going on?" I jolted awake at a light hand touching my shoulder.

Yue's wide blue eyes gazed down at me, and I could see worry behind her outward calm. "The black snow is falling. My father and the men of our tribe are preparing for battle; judging by the amount of snow, this will be the largest attack force since the very beginning of the war."

"Excellent!" At her horrified expression, I hastily corrected, "I'm not happy about the fact that we're under attack, but I'll be able to escape! Perhaps I can steal a boat and take my chances—"

"Ayaka, this isn't just an attack. It's an invasion! Their ships are on the open ocean, and the tundra is far too dangerous for anyone to survive—no one will be able to escape!" Yue appeared startled at her own outburst and quickly composed herself, speaking calmly and quietly. "Here in the city, we'll be captured and enslaved. Water Tribe slaves are a novelty, since many choose to kill themselves before being sold, and I will be sent to the Fire Lord's personal harem."

"Yue, don't think like—"

"The Avatar will be captured, and all hope for the world will be lost."

"Stop it!" Yue jumped, apparently shocked out of her musings. "There's no need to even think about that because it _will not happen_. We have the Avatar on our side, remember?"

"Right," she said slowly.

"So there's nothing to worry about! Now come on, let's have a look!" Hooking my arm through hers I tugged the princess through the door and out onto one of the ice bridges forming connections through the different areas of the city. Once outside, we both automatically gasped at the scene below, so changed from the one of the night before.

"It's the Fire Nation Armada," I murmured in horrified awe, staring at the hundreds of ships slowly advancing on the city.

"This is bad," Yue said. "This is very, very bad."

"Ayaka!" I spun towards the voice, tears almost coming to my eyes at something familiar. This time I initiated the embrace, throwing my arms around Sokka's neck and holding him tightly as his arms wrapped around me comfortingly. My hands trembled—all of the terror and anxiety I had suppressed through this ordeal had come rushing back, and it took everything I had not to burst into tears.

"But—what are you doing here?" I asked, forcing myself to pull away.

"Chief Arnook sent me to protect Princess Yue," he replied, and belatedly made an awkward little bow towards her. "Aang and Katara are on their way, and—" He broke off as three missiles were catapulted towards the city, smashing into three separate places. "We need to get somewhere safe. Princess, do you have any ideas?"

"I'm sorry, I don't—wait! Yes!" Her eyes lit up. "Follow me." She hurried along the bridge, and Sokka and I followed quickly. Aang and Katara joined us at the intersection of two bridges, and Sokka hastily explained as we continued the journey across the city.

"They're through the walls!" Katara cried, watching as komodo rhinos and their riders landed in the main part of the city, beginning to fight with the waterbenders lined up before them. "I've been training with Master Pakku, and they need all the help they can get."

"I'm coming, too," Sokka said grimly. He and Katara raced towards the action, sword in hand and hands at the ready. I began to follow, but Yue called:

"In here! Quickly!" She held open a small, circular wooden door set in one of the buildings, which Aang had already entered. With a parting glance, I crouched and stepped through the door. Yue also crept through, closing the door behind her.

Before us, a large, serene pool of water was surrounded by thick green grass. Somehow the air was warm, and I shed my heavy coat, unconsciously straightening the kimono-like blue tunic worn underneath. "Welcome to the Spirit Oasis." Yue knelt beside the pond and gazed at the two koi fish, white and black, who swam in circles in the crystal waters.

"The energy in here is so . . . _present_." Aang circled the pool, halting beneath the simple wooden arch standing on the other side of the water. He lowered himself to the ground and sat crosslegged, pressing his fists together in a position of meditation. After a moment, his tattoos glowed silver and his breathing became slow and steady.

"What just happened?" Yue wondered, rising to her feet.

"I don't know," I murmured, "but I feel like taking a nap. Don't you?"

She sighed, "A little bit."

Something about the energy of the Oasis was overpowering, and before long I found that I had gone from standing to sitting, sitting to lying on the grass, and my eyelids slowly grew very, so very heavy . . .

Suddenly I was on my feet, in an attack stance. It took a split-second to realize I had been woken by a scream, and it was immediately obvious why: a hooded figure had one arm around Princess Yue's neck, and the other hand moved to cover her mouth.

"Let her go!" I yelled, drawing water from the oasis and holding it aloft. The figure's hand paused, then darted back to shove down his hood.

"Surrender, or . . ." Zuko held a small, concentrated flame in one hand, and moved it to inches from Yue's face. She struggled, but the arm around her neck viciously tightened.

"Okay," I said, taking care not to appear offensive. My hands slowly allowed the water to settle on the ground. "But _she_ doesn't have anything to do with this. Release her, if you have any honor left."

For a moment I thought he was going to burn her, but with a shrug he carelessly withdrew his arm. Yue hesitated, but at my glance she bolted for the door, and was out in a flash. I didn't even bother to try to follow, instead moving to place myself between Zuko and Aang.

"Get out of the way, Ayaka." I could tell that he was angry, even if it didn't show. It would have been better if he yelled, let off some steam. Instead all of that fury was building up inside him, ready to explode.

"Think about what you're doing," I urged. "The Avatar is the world's only hope for peace."

"Capturing the Avatar is the only way to restore my honor," he countered. In addition to the scar, his face was marred with several minor burns. At least these would heal without leaving more scars.

My own inner fire flared. "I don't think you're capable of having honor!"

He didn't react. "Don't be a child."

"_I'm_ being a child? You're the one who is still looking for his father's approval!"

In a quick movement he was in front of me, and shoved me down. I started to scramble to my feet but he knelt on top of me, one knee on either side of my waist, and pinioned my hands to the ground with his own. "Do we really need to have this conversation again?" he asked, infuriatingly smug. I struggled against his grip, and he sighed.

"I'm starting to lose patience."

Finding freeing my hands impossible, I instead tried to roll him off. He raised one hand and slapped me. I cried out in pain and ceased my efforts, glaring up at him. "You just don't know when to quit."

"Unlike you. You should have fought him."

"Would you fight your father?"

"If my father was your father, yes!"

His eyes pierced mine, and after a few seconds I closed my eyes to avoid his gaze. Something touched my skin, and my eyes snapped back open. "Stop it!"

"Stop what?" Zuko smirked, gently pressing down on the base of my throat.

"We both know you're not going to—to—force yourself on me, so stop acting like you're going to!" I shivered uncontrollably as his fingers traced the neckline of my shirt, and lingered at the lowest point.

"Who says I'm not?"

"I just did, remember?"

He laughed, thumb moving in gentle circles just below my neckline. "Maybe I'll keep you around when I'm Fire Lord, as entertainment."

"I'd prefer to get a restraining order, if that's okay with you." I resisted the urge to punch him. "Since you keep following the Avatar—and consequentially following _me—_and chasing me around the South Pole and kissing me—"

"Kissing you? That wasn't a real kiss."

I glared at him fiercely. "Don't even think about it."

As if this reminded him of his mission, Zuko glanced over the Avatar. "I've wasted enough time." He raised one hand to strike me, but I slashed my free arm through the air and the oasis responded, a stream of water smashing into the side of Zuko's head. He was thrown across the room, and I leaped to my feet, raising my hands to send another wall of water at him. Caught by surprise, he was knocked to the ground and I coated him with water, freezing it to contain him.

The prince growled and his hands began to glow red, the ice giving way before them. I looked around wildly as he regained his attack stance, and instinctively blasted him again. His head smashed against the ice wall behind him, and Zuko suddenly fell.

I cautiously advanced, hands up, but he didn't move. Was it a trap? Halting a few yards away, I drew the water that had fallen to the ground back up and imprisoned him in ice one more, but still he didn't move.

There was a soft sigh from behind me, and I spun, already sending water in the direction of the noise. Aang yelped as the water crashed into him, and rolled several yards before scrambling up.

"God—Aang, I'm so sorry!"

"No problem," he groaned, rubbing his head. The sight of Zuko jolted him awake. "What happened?"

"Long story. Did anything happen while you were—" I made a random gesture "—wherever you were?"

"I went looking for the Moon and Ocean spirits, Tui and La, but Ko the Face-Stealer told me that they were already in this world!"

"Yeah . . . that meant nothing to me."

Aang shook his head furiously. "There's no time to explain! Roku said the spirits were in danger. We have to find them before—"

We both fell silent as something smashed into the door from the outside. There was another loud thump. Then the round wooden door was blown from its hinges by a blast of fire and an armored man stepped through. It only took one look at his face for me to recognize him. Suffice to say it didn't exactly boost my confidence.

I glanced to the right to see Zuko beginning to stir, as if sensing Zhao's presence.

Joy.


	18. Chapter 17 - Jinxed

"Well, well, well." Zhao smirked, obviously very pleased with the situation. Three soldiers stepped through the gap behind him and stood still, at the ready. "If it isn't the Avatar, the banished prince, and a pretty girl all in the same place. This must be my lucky day."

"Back off, Zhao," Aang snapped. He flipped his staff over his back and pointed it the admiral. "I beat you before, I can do it again." Behind him, Zuko appeared fully conscious and was quickly melting his bonds. I shifted to face him, water at the ready.

"I'm not here for you, Avatar," Zhao sneered, "but I do have some chains on my ship with your name on them."

Aang struck out at the admiral, but he countered the blast of air with a wall of fire and, as Aang leapt away, darted forward towards the pond. He produced a brown bag from his pocket and scooped up the white fish. The black fish wavered, uncertain, in the water.

"What are you—" I fell silent as a dull red light was cast over the world, and gazed up at the moon to see that the pure silver had turned scarlet. "What's happening?"

"The moon and ocean spirits!" Aang gasped. "They're the koi fish!"

"I will destroy the moon," Zhao said grimly. I thrust a blade of water in his direction only to have it peter out and fall inches from the pond. "And in doing so I will _destroy the Water Tribes!" _

"No, Zhao!" Iroh had entered while we were otherwise occupied, and was now in an aggressive stance. He looked angrier and more fearsome than I had ever seen him. "Eliminating the moon will hurt us all, not just the Water Tribes!"

"Shut up, old man." The bag's movements lessened as the koi fish within grew weaker and weaker, feebly thrashing in its containment. Zhao lifted a fist and we all lunged forward—

"Whatever you do to that fish I will do to you, Zhao!" Iroh roared, and for a moment the admiral faltered. He looked around at us, and his face fell. Closing his eyes, he lowered the bag into the pond and the koi fish dropped into the water—the moon burst into light, shining silver. Suddenly determined, he turned towards us.

"I will capture the Avatar," Zhao snarled. "And I will annihilate the Northern Water Tribe!" He gestured to the soldiers. "You! Find the princess!" They bowed and ducked through the door and he followed, casting a dark glance back at us.

Zuko began to stand, and Iroh rushed to his side, helping him up. The two firebenders faced Aang and me in attack positions. Aang and I copied their movements, but I could see my despair reflected in his face, replaced with stern resolve. Aang darted forward and the air exploded.

Zuko met Aang's attack and counteracted it with three quick bursts of fire. Iroh ducked through the melee and I sent a concentrated blast of water at him. He stepped out of its path and did not attack, instead blocking my next three attempts with ease. I froze his legs to the ground, which seemed to contain him—much to both of our surprise—and spun to help Aang, only to find that Zuko had disappeared. I began to turn back—something yanked me backwards, closing around my waist. I began to struggle, but froze when something cold and sharp pressed against my throat.

"Drop it."

Aang hesitated, his hands clutching the staff tightly. The blade pricked my skin.

_"Now."_

The staff sank into the grass. "Tie him up, Uncle."

"Prince Zuko, I don't know if we should—"

Zuko growled and suddenly released me, shoving me to the ground. In one quick bound he was at Aang's side and smashed him over the head with the hilt of his dagger. As Aang collapsed I started to scramble up, but Zuko shot me a look that was eloquent in its scathingness, and I sank back down. Apparently satisfied, he knelt beside Aang's body, produced a thick coil of rope from his armor—did he just carry that around?—and began to wind it around his body.

Uncle coughed and offered a hand to help me up. "You can go now."

"No, she can't." Zuko had finished pinning Aang's arms to his body and legs together with the rope, and now propped the unconscious boy up on the wall. "Bring her back to the raft."

Iroh sighed heavily, as if already resigned. "Nephew, I see no reason for—j =="

"Can't you do _anything_?" Zuko turned, eyes fiery. "Fine. Take him—" He shoved the Avatar towards Iroh "—to the raft. Don't screw _that_ up. I'll take the girl." Iroh looked as if he was about to protest but instead bowed his head, took hold of Aang's collar, and carried him from the room.

Hearing this, I jumped to my feet. Zuko watched me impatiently, but with an element of smug amusement. "Don't even bother: I'm holding all the cards."

"Says who?"

"I just did." I let myself laugh at that one, but remained wary as Zuko continued, "I have the Avatar. Isn't that enough?"

I silently groaned. He had a point. "Not nearly."

His face twitched, as if he was having the urge to roll his eyes, but he abstained. "Come without resisting and I won't have to hurt you."

"Well, this is a difficult one," I sighed sarcastically. "The thing is, you're probably going to hurt me whether I come quietly or not, so . . ."

Golden eyes narrowed. "Do you want to go home?"

Startled, I opened my mouth to say _No_, but instead . . . a little, unintelligible noise. I coughed. _No! _"Y-yes."

"Yes?"

"No! I don't—I don't know." _Home._ Such a beautiful word, filled with promises and hopes and memories. But if I went home . . .

"Once my honor has been restored, I'll explain to my father that the Earth Kingdom kidnapped you," Zuko said smoothly, effortlessly moving towards me. My feet seemed to be made of stone. "My throne will be restored, and everything will be as it was two years ago. Almost . . ." With a quick step forward, his face was suddenly very close to mine.

"Don't even—" His lips lightly touched mine. I flinched away but suddenly his arms were around me, forcing me closer, and he was demanding, nearly crushing his mouth against mine. My arms were pinioned to my sides, Zuko's lips moving, trying to open mine, his hands gathering me closer-the only options were to respond or panic.

I panicked.

My legs were pinned against his, but I stomped my foot down, several times, until it connected with something. Zuko momentarily separated from me, and I struggled against his grip, slipping under his arms and backing away. To his credit, Zuko looked surprised. He took a step towards me, reaching for my hand. "I-"

"Get away from her!" An _object_ crashed into the back of Zuko's head and he fell—for the second time that night. Sokka stood in front of the door, his expression thunderous.

"We have to get out of here!" I suddenly remembered- "Zhao is going after Princess Yue! He's going to hold her hostage!"

"But Yue's here!" Sokka moved aside, gesturing to the princess who stood on the other side of the doorway, Katara beside her. "She came and found us."

"Another reason that we need to escape." I hurried to the door and climbed through, Sokka close behind me. "Aang is on Zuko's ship, but they won't leave without Zuko."

"Great. So we'll leave him for Sideburns?"

I hesitated, glancing back. Despite everything, letting him be captured by Zhao and dragged back to the Fire Nation as a prisoner seemed harsh. "No, we have to something with him."

"Why?" Katara asked incredulously. "He's the one trying to kill us-keeping him close to us doesn't seem like the best idea!"

"We can trade him for Aang," I realized. "That's got to work! We can just go down, tell Iroh that we have him stashed somewhere, then agree to say where if they give us Aang!"

"And then we can leave," Sokka said grimly, sliding his boomerang back into its case. "It's a full moon tonight: the waterbenders will be able to fight the soldiers off. We just need to look after Yue until they succeed."

"Okay, easy!" I glanced at Yue, who seemed to be holding up well enough considering the circumstances, and she nodded.

"You've jinxed it!" Sokka protested. "Now something's bound to go wrong!"

"Don't be ridiculous, Sokka!" Katara chastised. "Everything is perfectly fine."

"Now it's double-jinxed," he muttered, and led us down the snowy path towards the ocean. Around us, we could hear the shouts of the fighting and clashes of ice against metal, but no one attacked us. At the base of the wall, Katara bent a hole for us to crawl through, and I was about to follow when something went wrong.

A hand clamped down on my mouth, yanking me backwards while an arm closed around my waist. I screamed through the hand, but the gap in the wall of ice had already disappeared. Desperately thrashing about, I heard a muffled curse and suddenly felt heat inches from my neck. My struggles ceased.

Apparently satisfied, my captor let go of my mouth and the heat vanished as I felt rope against my wrists, binding them together. "Okay, this has got to stop happening," I muttered, to be rewarded with a shove. I tried to strike whoever stood behind me, but my kick was easily avoided and I was shoved again, this time falling face-first into the snow.

My captor caught hold of my arms and yanked me back up, turning so I faced him. "You are under arrest by order of Admiral Zhao," the soldier said through his helmet, and with a firm grip on my shoulder he led me along the wall to one of the many ships that had breached the ice, and up into the ship itself. My feet seemed to move by themselves, so heavily my terror pressed down on me, and before long they guided me to a room in the metal ship.

"Two traitors to be delivered to the Fire Nation," Zhao directed as the scribe behind him scribbled furiously. "Make sure you emphasize just how instrumental I was in their capture."

My mind regained control of itself at the word _two_. Could there be someone else who had defected from the Fire Nation? Someone who could help me escape! I was busily thinking about this as the guard took me down into the ship, through several more doors into into a cell distressingly similar to the one Sokka and I had escaped from nearly—I couldn't remember how long ago. Once I saw the prisoner within, my heart dropped and I mentally berated myself for thinking it could have been anyone else. _Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. _

"Look, I think I deserve my own room," I protested as my hands were tied to one of the bars of the cell. "Female stuff and all that."

"Relax," Zuko said after the guard left—having ignored my insistence— "I'm tied up, too."

"I will _not_ relax!" I twisted to face him. "What the hell was _that_? You kissed me!"

"I don't have time for this!" He strained against his bonds, but fell back in frustration. Suddenly recalling, he turned towards me. "Where is the Avatar?"

"_Really_? We're trapped on an enemy ship headed for the Fire Nation and that's the first thing on your mind?"

"We're not on an enemy ship-this is a Fire Nation vessel! It's just Zhao, I defeated him in an Agni Kai and now he's been trying to get back at me!"

"Ooh, so you _do_ know what an Agni Kai is," I muttered. "Could've fooled me."

"Shut up!" Zuko yelled, kicking out at me. I scooted backwards (yes, I literally _scooted_) then kicked him in the shin.

"Can't you just burn through the rope, anyway?" I said conversationally. "After all, you _are_ a firebender—or so I've heard."

"They're having freezing air piped in," he answered grimly. I had noticed that the air was exceptionally cold, but between my heavy coat and the fact we were in the North Pole it hadn't been of immediate concern to me. "No firebending. And you know I couldn't have beaten him!"

"You wouldn't have beaten him, but you could have tried!" Now it was my turn to strain against the rope. "You lost your honor that day, but Fire Lord Ozai didn't take it away from you. You let it go when you didn't fight."

_I crouched on the ledge and motioned for Zuko to climb up beside me, then pressed my ear to the glass of the window. I could just hear my mother and Fire Lady Ursa talking in hushed voices. _

_ "I'm worried about her," Lady Chinatsu murmured. "About her future. Because I'm from the Southern Water Tribe, I doubt there's any chance of arranging a proper marriage." _

_ "Ayaka is a bright young girl, and I'm sure her father's position alone will be enough to guarantee suitors." _

_ "Yes, but . . ." Her voice suddenly became very hushed. "She's a waterbender." _

_ "I see." There was a moment of silence as Lady Ursa contemplated. "Have you warned her?" _

_ " I told her to never do it again, but you know how my daughter is. She could best Chin the Conqueror when it comes to being stubborn."_

_Both women laughed, but it was a nervous, pressured sort of laughter. At last, Ursa said, "She'll need to marry someone we can trust. Someone within the family." _

_"But surely that's out of the question! The Fire Nation wants a Fire Lady who looks like they're from the Fire Nation." _

_"I don't know," Ursa mused. "Now that I think about it: Ayaka is the daughter of a general and has Water Tribe ancestry. General Iroh is storming the walls of Ba Sing Se-when he succeeds, the world will need to accept Fire Nation leadership. Perhaps a "mixed" Fire Lady will help appease them." _

_ Zuko and I glanced at each other, and I saw my horror reflected in his face. _


	19. Chapter 18 - The Choice

Zuko hadn't let up on glaring me yet; after the first few days (yes, he kept it up for _days_) I couldn't take it any more.

"What?" I shouted, turning to look at him. "What is your problem?"

He shrugged.

"Why don't you just start yelling and get this over with," I grumbled, "because frankly the whole 'silent and deadly' thing is getting old."

Zuko's eyes flashed. "You're a traitor to the Fire Nation! You don't even have the right to speak to me."

"The Fire Nation betrayed the rest of the world!" Forgetting that my hands were tied I tried to gesture, and Zuko smirked. "Can't you see it? _Any_ of it?"

"All I see is a Water Tribe peasant."

"Yeah? What _I_ see is an arrogant, _banished_ so-called prince." With a snarl he twisted around to kick me, and I jerked back so that he missed. I bit down on my lip, already feeling guilt surge through me.

"Sorry," I whispered. "That was over the line."

He remained silent for a minute, then said, "Do you know why I was banished?"

"Azula said you deserved it. That's all I know." I hugged my knees to my chest and rested my head on them, turned sideways to look at Zuko.

"I spoke out during my father's war meeting. There was a plan to sacrifice new recruits—an entire division of new recruits. I argued against it." He glanced up at me. "I made one mistake, and now my only chance at going home is capturing the Avatar. I've been trying to find him for two years, and I was so close . . ."

I could see real emotion in his face: hurt, sorrow, desperation. "I'm sorry," I said again. "I can see why—" Wait a minute! _That's what he was going after!_ "You're trying to get me to sympathize with you so I'll help you capture Aang!"

"I haven't told any lies," Zuko insisted.

"And that's why you kissed me, too!" I shivered uncomfortably at the memory. "Though I don't know why you'd think it would make me join your side, because frankly it was—"

"I didn't kiss you so you would help me," he interrupted quietly. He offered no explanation, instead watching calmly. I felt myself blushing and quickly transferred my gaze to the floor.

"Don't do it again," I stammered. "And stop looking at me!"

"Why? There's nothing else to look at." I glared at him, and he smiled.

I cleared my throat and tried to ignore his last comment. "Well, _I'm _trying to figure out how we're going to escape. My friends will probably come and we can—"

Zuko had suddenly become focused. "You said _we_."

"What? I did not!"

"Yeah, you did."

"If I did—which I did _not_—I take it back!" I protested.

"You wouldn't leave me to go to prison." He hesitated before adding, "Especially since I'm beginning to see the error of my ways."

I laughed, "Yeah, right. This is pathetic."

"It was worth a try." He laughed, too, and I felt a little warm glow, even though I knew he was just trying to play off my emotions. And all the memories. "Really, just drop me off somewhere."

"So you can keep hunting Aang?"

Zuko fell silent, contemplating. "Who says they're coming for you, anyway?"

"I know they will," I replied. "Sokka will."

"_Sokka?"_ He smirked. "Isn't he the Water Tribe peasant?"

"Yes."

"What would your father say?" Zuko asked mockingly. He suddenly grew serious. "He's beneath you, Ayaka. They're _all_ beneath you. You belong in the Fire Nation, with someone of your rank."

"Like you, for instance?"

"We heard the same conversation all those years ago. Maybe they were right." He moved towards me—as much movement as was possible-and all at once I detected a difference: the ponytail that symbolized a member of the royal family was gone. They had cut it off.

"Thanks, but not interested," I managed.

"When I capture the Avatar, I will have _everything_ back. My honor, my throne, my country-my life. _You_ understand that because you know everything that I have lost. You've lost it, too. I can help you get it back."

"Maybe I don't _want_ it back," I retorted, pressing my back against the bars in an unconscious effort to create space between myself and Zuko's words.

He answered without missing a beat. "Then what _do_ you want?"

"I want this war to be over!" Zuko flinched, startled, but I didn't stop. "Everything I know about the Fire Nation is a lie, but I don't _want_ it to be a lie. I want the world to be at peace. I don't want to be a part of the Fire Nation-I don't want to be one of the villains in this story."

"Who says I'm a villain?" he asked. "I want to regain my honor, and the Avatar is the only way. I want to take back my throne. Do you think Azula will be a better ruler?"

I shuddered at the thought.

"If I succeeded my father, I would bring peace. By winning the war." I started to reply, but he cut me off, his fingers tapping against the bars in a quick rhythm. "Actually, my _father_ is going to win the war by using the same weapon my great-grandfather did one hundred years ago. The Fire Nation will rule the world, but I'll do a better job of it than my little sister." His hand froze, the tapping stopped. "Is the Avatar too high a price to pay for the world?"

We both fell silent after that, having come to the silent consensus that the conversation was over. Resting my head against the bars I listened to the boat moving through the water. The rope had chafed the skin from my wrists, and now every movement sparked agony. Slowly, trying not to put pressure on my wrists, I closed my eyes.

I woke to the sound of the cell door clanging open, and two soldiers entered. One tossed a piece of bread into the cell, the other crouched next to Zuko with a pitcher of water. He shoved the pitcher into his mouth, and Zuko gulped down water. I closed my eyes when it was my turn, savoring the feel of the liquid coursing down my throat, then it was yanked away.

At this point, they usually left, but this time the soldier remained beside me. I opened my eyes to see him drawing a dagger from his armor, and reflexively I jerked back, trying to get away from the weapon. The dagger slashed down—through the ropes. The soldier slid his visor up.

"We have a plan," Aang whispered. He gestured to Sokka, who glanced out into the hall before removing his helmet. Sokka reached through the doorway and returned with a heap of black and red metal, a helmet perched on top.

"You're going to put on the armor." Sokka smashed down on the lock with his sword once, twice, three times. It split open. "Then we're going to pose as soldiers taking Zuko to the deck."

"Why are we bringing _Zuko_?" I asked, climbing to my feet and moving past Aang. Sokka handed me a piece of armor that looked like a shirt, and I shed my heavy jacket and began to pull it on.

"His uncle is helping us," Sokka answered grimly. "He drew the layout of the ship." Aang cut through Zuko's bonds, dropped the knife, and jumped back, as if worried that the prince was going to throw fire at him. Instead, Zuko rose to his feet, stretching his arms behind his back before giving Sokka a condescending glance, as if he were a bug or rodent.

"Okay," I said quickly, before they could start fighting. My helmet was the last article of armor, and my voice sounded robotic from within. "What if we run into Zhao, or _actual_ soldiers?"

"Then we improvise."

"Great plan," Zuko muttered.

"As long as _you_ don't screw it up," Sokka retorted.

"Let's go, _now_!" I hissed. "If we stay here someone's going to catch us!"

"Right." Sokka slid his helmet back on and Zuko and Aang left the cell. Aang moved in front of Zuko, Sokka behind him, and I exited behind them. He paused at the doorway, turned, and whispered, "If something goes wrong, you and Aang make a run for it."

There wasn't time to argue. I nodded.

The hallway was completely empty. Our footsteps were unnaturally loud, echoing back and forth, and I was certain that someone was going to hear us and come investigate. I wished I could take off my helmet to wipe away the beads of sweat on my forehead.

Our boots marched up a flight of stairs, and another, and a third. Aang lifted his hands to the trapdoor at the top of the stairs and pushed it up, and to the side. He climbed up, followed by Zuko, and Sokka. I glanced behind me before climbing up myself.

The sky was dark outside, and the night smelled of smoke. We hurried along the deck to the edge, and Aang leaped over the side. I glanced over the railing to see Appa hovering in the air, Katara, Iroh, Yue, and Aang perched on his back. Zuko nimbly dropped onto the bison's back, and Sokka climbed over the railing before jumping. I held my breath when it was my turn, scared to death that I would somehow miss and plunge into the ocean.

"Yip yip!" Aang whispered, and Appa soared through the darkness.

"Princess Yue? What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Fire Nation troops are occupying the North Pole," she responded softly. "It's not safe for me to go back."

"Oh." I hadn't even thought about the North Pole-I had been so sure the waterbenders would fight off the soldiers! Apparently the universe loved to prove me wrong. "Is your father all right?"

"He hasn't been killed. They're holding him captive." She smiled wanly. "My first time away from the North Pole, and I can't do anything but worry about home."

"Aang, I want us as far from the ship as possible before the sun rises," Sokka called. "But first let's drop _them_ off." We all turned to look at Iroh and Zuko, having unconsciously moved to the end of the saddle opposite them. He addressed them, "We're in the part of the Earth Kingdom that has been conquered by the Fire Nation. Appa will land, and you'll get off."

"We thank you for your kindness in this situation," Iroh rumbled. "I'm sure-"

Zuko darted forward, knocking Sokka aside, and wrapped his arm around Aang's throat before anyone could react. A knife appeared in his hand-the knife Aang had dropped on the ground back in the cell-and pressed against Aang's neck. He twisted to face us, and his golden eyes focused on me. I could read the message in them:

_The Avatar, or the world?_

**I'm starting NaNoWrimo, which means I won't be able to write anything for this until December (which is why I'm posting this chapter so soon after the other) ! Wait for me! **


	20. Chapter 19 - Surrender

_The Avatar, or the world?_

I looked around desperately for someone, _anyone_, to intervene. Sokka's hand was frozen on the handle of his sword, and he glared daggers at Zuko, crouching in front of Katara protectively. Yue held my arm tightly, her hands shaking. Uncle Iroh sat in silence, his expression unreadable. Aang's eyes were wide with fear—Appa roared angrily, but he couldn't roll or swerve without the knife slashing through Aang's throat.

As for me? My insides were being ripped apart.

"Land the bison," Zuko commanded. No one moved, and he expertly twisted the dagger so that a drop of blood ran down the Avatar's neck. "I said, _land it!"_

"You're a monster!" Katara started forward, but Sokka reached out and grabbed her shoulder, gently shoving her back.

"Land the bison," Zuko repeated, ignoring her outburst. "Or I'll kill him."

"Fine," Sokka said very quietly. "I'll do it." Zuko moved slightly to let Sokka pass, and for a moment I thought the Water Tribe warrior was going to knock the knife out of his hand and—but no. Instead, he settled at the front of the saddle and picked up the reins.

As the bison descended, Zuko took a moment to glance at me, as if to ask what I had decided, but then returned his focus to Aang. He had finally captured the Avatar: I was no longer a threat. From here, his course would be simple enough. We were over Fire Nation-occupied territory, so all Zuko had to do was find the nearest town and get transport to the Fire Nation. It was so easy. So damn easy.

Still—the "Avatar" was nothing more than a twelve-year-old kid. How could _he_ defeat Fire Lord Ozai?

He couldn't.

The bison landed with a thump. Sokka suddenly spun, slashing his sword through the air towards the back of Zuko's head. Zuko twisted his grip on Aang—forcing him down—turned towards the sword, and lifted his arm to block it. The blade cut into his forearm.

As blood gushed down his arm, Zuko, ignoring the pain, thrust out with it. A concentrated fireball smashed directly into Sokka, his arms lifted to protect his face, and the Water Tribesman tumbled from the bison with a yell of pain.

"Sokka!" Katara cried, jumping off the side of the saddle and rushing to her brother. Aang suddenly slumped, and I realized Zuko had choked him unconscious.

"Decide whose side you're on," Zuko said, ignoring Sokka's moans of pain. "Now."

"You have no right to do any of this!" I replied, shifting to the right to block Yue from Zuko's view. "Aang is a child. You want to condemn him to life in captivity!"

"I am the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation," he stated. "I have the right to do whatever the hell I want to." Picking up Aang, Zuko slung him over one shoulder and, standing, leaped to the ground. Katara frantically bent water onto Sokka on the other side of the bison.

"Stop!" Taking Yue's hand, I slid down after him, Yue following me. "Please, just think about this! The Avatar is the world's only hope!"

Zuko laughed harshly. Short hair had grown since Zhao cut off his ponytail. "I thought you were smarter than this, Ayaka. _Think about it._ If you join me now, I will pardon all charges of treason. You and your friend—" He motioned to Yue, who stood behind me "—will be given places at the court."

"The world—"

"The world's only hope is my return to the Fire Nation, and that can only be accomplished with the capture of the Avatar. You know I'm right." As Zuko trailed off, Appa suddenly rose to his hind legs and roared. Zuko flinched, then raised a hand and formed a fire whip, which he used to hit Appa across the stomach. The bison roared again, then took off. He quickly disappeared into the sky.

"Ayaka!" Katara called, crouched over Sokka's prone body. "Help me drag him to the river!"

"Ayaka," Zuko said quietly, not a trace of mockery or smugness in his voice.

I looked around, conflicted. Katara bent water from her bag, desperately trying to heal Sokka. Yue shivered behind me. Appa was nowhere to be found—and Iroh gone on his back. And then there was Zuko, standing over all of us, carrying Aang over one shoulder. He had beaten us. He had beaten me.

"Fine," I whispered. "You win."

I could see that Zuko was resisting the urge to smile. He stepped forward, dropped Aang to the ground (keeping tight hold on the boy's collar), cupped my face with the other hand, and kissed me. I accepted his lips against mine but did not reciprocate: all my life, I had learned what it was to surrender. It meant not fighting, nor resisting, no matter how much you may want to . . .

The kiss itself wasn't overly unpleasant, if it felt violating and left me utterly helpless. After a few seconds his tongue pressed against my lips, and I allowed it entry-_accept, don't resist. Accept._ Still, I dreaded to think what his other hand would be doing if not holding Aang.

Zuko released me, a flash of disappointment crossing his face. Evidently, he decided to try again later, because he didn't press the matter. Instead, he hauled Aang back over his shoulder. "One of the colonies is near here," he said brusquely.

I nodded, but didn't speak, instead glancing down at my feet, and following Zuko as he moved forward. I didn't glance back, knowing that I would only see Katara kneeling over Sokka, staring at us with pure hatred.

Yue's hand tightened around mine, trembling. In horror, she whispered, "He kissed you!"

"If I'm lucky," I said grimly. She looked at me, terrified. "Yue, right now-to survive-you need to learn to be a serious gold-digger. This is the way out I chose. You can go back if you want."

"But-but you didn't stop him, or anything!"

"I give up, Yue." I halted for a moment, turning to face her. "I'm going to keep my head down and act like the lady I was raised to be, okay?" Without waiting for a response I continued onward.

"One room, large," Zuko said gruffly. He handed over a few coins embossed with the symbol of the Fire Nation, and the man at the desk didn't give us a second glance as he directed us to the second floor.

The moment we reached the room Zuko locked the door behind us, propped Aang up against the wall, and started to wind the rope from his bag around the boy's body. Yue sat quietly in a corner of the room, a princess to the end, and I leaned against the door, eyes closed. The sun was just beginning to rise but I felt so tired . . .

My eyes shot open as two hands pinned me to the door, Zuko's legs pressing on mine. He didn't even pause before placing his hands just under the bottom of my shirt and slipping them inside, sliding up my stomach.

"Stop," I muttered, jumping at the feeling of his skin against mine. I may be half Water Tribe, but I am still from the Fire Nation. My fire had been reduced to a faint spark, but now it began to burn again.

I raised my hand and shoved him backwards.

Caught off guard, he stumbled back a few steps, but quickly regained his balance and started towards me again. I didn't move to avoid him, instead staring directly into his eyes as he neared me.

"Don't touch me," I said frigidly, catching his wrists in my hands. "I may agree with you, but don't think that means I like you. And _this_ isn't some automatic perk of joining your side."

His eyes narrowed, but before he could speak there was a moan from the other side of the room. Aang struggled against his bonds, unable to free himself. Spinning towards the noise, Zuko strode towards Aang, hand raised to strike him, but Yue cried out:

"No! Don't hurt him!"

Zuko slowly turned towards her, one hand raised. A fireball began to form in his palm.

** Meanwhile . . .**

"I believe there is a village up there, my large friend."

Appa roared in agreement, slowly trudging along beside the old man.

"Perhaps we will have good fortune there," Iroh mused as they neared the town of Yu Dao.

**Also Meanwhile . . .**

Sokka's body plunged into the river. With a gasp, Katara jumped down after him, seizing hold of his head and trying to keep it above the water while simultaneously healing the burns on his arms and face. He was very heavy, and she was weary after the many miles she had dragged him, but still her strength did not waver. It was fueled by rage-by hatred.

By a need for vengeance.


End file.
